Gaza: Two international NGOs have warned of a worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, citing a sharp rise in child malnutrition and catastrophic sanitation conditions amid a war that has raged for more than two years.

According to Qatar News Agency, Action Against Hunger reported a 700% increase in child malnutrition cases since October 2023, with field teams treating up to 400 children under five in September alone, up from just 100 a few months prior. Operations director Vincent Stehli, who recently returned from Gaza, said he saw a seven-year-old who weighed just 6.5 kg.

The UN declared famine in parts of Gaza in August, as the territory remains under a near-total Israeli blockade.

Meanwhile, Medecins du Monde condemned what it described as systematic Israeli restrictions on women and girls’ access to healthcare, warning that 85% of pregnant women in Gaza face risks of pregnancy complications.