Beyond Hunger: The Burden of Acute Malnutrition, Micronutrient Deficiencies, and Nutrition-Related Morbidities in Gaza, 2024–2026

This secondary analysis of routine nutrition service data describes the burden of acute malnutrition, anaemia, impaired growth, clinical rickets and nutrition-related illness among 193,481 children aged 0–17 assessed at 34 medical points in Gaza between August 2024 and July 2026. Acute malnutrition among children aged 6–59 months was lower in January–July 2026 than in earlier periods in all areas, though this may reflect case mix or service access and should not be read as an end to need. Among CBC-tested children, anaemia fell from 78.9% (June–December 2025) to 25.9% (January–July 2026); in a linked cohort of 988 children anaemic at baseline, 46.0% had resolved at follow-up. Clinical findings consistent with rickets were recorded in 7.71% of symptomatic children under two assessed. Skin diseases accounted for 45.32% of 49,618 recorded nutrition-related morbidity events. Service-based data do not estimate Gaza-wide prevalence. Contact: [email protected]