Four-year-old Razan Abu Zaher died in a central Gaza hospital due to complications from severe hunger and malnutrition, becoming one of at least 76 children who have succumbed to such conditions since the war began in October 2023.
Her death, along with three other children in just three days—including a three-month-old infant—underscores the escalating famine in Gaza. According to the Palestinian health ministry, 18 people died of hunger-related causes in just one day, as medical facilities struggle to treat the increasing number of severely malnourished patients.
CNN first documented Razan’s case a month before her death, showing her visibly weak and thin. Her mother, Tahrir Abu Daher, expressed her inability to find or afford milk for her child. Before the war, Razan was healthy, but prolonged malnutrition drastically deteriorated her condition.
Despite being hospitalized for nearly 40 days, she could not recover. Her story symbolizes the preventable suffering experienced by countless children amid the collapse of Gaza’s health and food infrastructure.
Blockade Chokes Gaza’s Aid Supply as Hospitals Collapse Under Worsening Hunger Crisis
The crisis intensified in March when Israel imposed a blockade that severely limited humanitarian aid to Gaza. Although partially lifted in May, aid organizations argue that current supply levels are grossly insufficient.
Israel claims the restrictions were necessary to prevent Hamas from stealing aid, while the United Nations asserts that Israeli authorities often block or delay the movement of aid within Gaza. Despite Israeli claims that 67,000 trucks have delivered food, the humanitarian needs vastly outweigh the supply.
Hospitals across Gaza are overwhelmed. Infants and adults alike arrive in states of exhaustion, with their bodies weakened by weeks of hunger. Dr. Khalil Al-Daqran from al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital said Gaza is enduring catastrophic famine levels, further exacerbated by what he called “unprecedented international silence.”
Other medical professionals report severe shortages of food even for hospital staff, with organizations like World Central Kitchen halting operations due to a lack of ingredients.
Desperate Gazans Killed Seeking Food as Starvation and Medical Collapse Deepen Crisis
In desperation, thousands risk their lives daily in search of food. On one Sunday alone, over 70 people were reported killed in northern Gaza while seeking aid, allegedly shot by Israeli troops. While the Israel Defense Forces say warning shots were fired to address an immediate threat, the incident is under review.
UN data reveals that nearly 800 Palestinians have been killed trying to access aid between late May and early July, most of them near sites associated with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
UN agencies and health experts have issued dire warnings. Starvation among children reached record levels in June, with over 5,800 children acutely malnourished. Hospitals lack the resources to provide proper care.
Volunteers like Sarmad Tamimy note the grim reality: many victims face horrific suffering due to infection, inadequate medical care, and malnutrition. As food supplies dwindle and the blockade continues, the humanitarian situation in Gaza is spiraling into an even deeper catastrophe.
