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| Unicef says it is seeing increasing malnutrition among children in Gaza |
The UN children's agency Unicef informed the BBC that a convoy carrying aid was denied entry to northern Gaza despite having all the necessary documents. Unicef spokesman James Elder, who was in the convoy, mentioned that such incidents are common. While waiting at a checkpoint, Elder witnessed the fatal shooting of two Gazan fishermen. In response, the Israel Defense Forces claimed that the documentation for the Unicef vehicle was not correctly completed and accused Elder of presenting a "partial picture." Elder also reported that some people expressed a willingness for airstrikes on their homes to end their suffering.
In an interview with the BBC's Today programme, Mr. James Elder said, "They're so despairing, they're so broken, they've lost so many family members, they have nothing left." He highlighted that the areas of Gaza being denied aid are experiencing unprecedented levels of severe malnutrition. Elder added that doctors in Gaza had to be trained to handle the most serious cases, as they had not encountered such conditions before.
His comments came after World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus reported that a significant portion of Gaza's population faces "catastrophic hunger and famine-like conditions." Dr. Tedros mentioned that over 8,000 children under five years old had been diagnosed and treated for acute malnutrition, with more than 1,500 suffering from a severe form.
According to the Hamas-run health ministry, more than 37,000 people have been killed, and hundreds of thousands more injured or displaced in Israel's offensive against Hamas in Gaza. The conflict began after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking 251 others as hostages back to Gaza.
Mr. Elder described his experience on a Unicef lorry in an aid convoy attempting to travel from southern to northern Gaza. Despite having all necessary paperwork, it took them 13 hours to travel about 40 km (30 miles). After eight hours at checkpoints, they were ultimately denied entry, leaving 10,000 children without the intended nutritional and medical supplies.
Elder stated he did not know why the convoy was denied entry but noted that such denials are "consistent and relentless" with hundreds of similar examples. The IDF explained that a problem arose because Unicef used a lorry with a rear closed cabin, which required prior coordination due to the risk of smuggling weapons and terrorists into northern Gaza. They added that Unicef had initially claimed the lorry did not include a closed cabin, a claim that proved false. The IDF offered Unicef the option to proceed without the truck or to submit appropriate coordination for the following day, emphasizing that properly coordinated passage is allowed.
During the wait at the checkpoint, Elder observed about eight fishermen attempting to catch fish with a single net. Suddenly, they heard a tank and automatic fire, resulting in two fishermen being shot—one in the back and one in the neck. Despite paramedics in the convoy requesting permission from the IDF to provide medical support, it was denied. Elder later saw the fishermen's wounds when their bodies were retrieved by colleagues.
The IDF stated they were investigating the "incident on the beach" mentioned in the interview.
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