Babies in Gaza are at risk of long-term and potentially irreversible health damage due to severe malnutrition, according to Doctors Without Borders.

The medical charity said that infants born in the current conditions face a high likelihood of growth delays and developmental problems. Doctors warned that the effects of widespread malnutrition during pregnancy and early infancy will be felt for many years, News.Az reports, citing Anadolu Ajansı.

Doctors Without Borders said its findings are based on medical data collected from multiple clinics in Gaza over an extended period, showing serious impacts on pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and newborns. The organisation reported high rates of premature births and low birth weight among babies born to malnourished mothers.

The group also said that many infants require urgent nutritional support and medical care, but access to treatment remains severely limited due to ongoing shortages of food, medical supplies and restricted humanitarian access.

Medical staff described a worsening situation in which malnutrition among children continues to rise, with clinics struggling to treat increasing numbers of patients. The organisation warned that the lack of adequate nutrition in early life can lead to permanent physical and cognitive damage.

Doctors Without Borders called for improved access to humanitarian aid, including food and medical supplies, stressing that without intervention, the long-term consequences for children in Gaza will continue to worsen.

News.Az 

By Leyla Şirinova