Nutrition screenings conducted by UNICEF and partners revealed that its identified almost 9,300 children under 5 years of age with acute malnutrition in October, down from 11,746 children in September and 14,363 children in August. While this downward trend demonstrates progress in treating and preventing acute malnutrition among children in Gaza, October still marks one of the highest monthly admissions rates on record, and is nearly five times higher than in February 2025, during the previous ceasefire.
As winter weather sets in, thousands of displaced families remain in makeshift shelters without warm clothes, blankets or protection from the elements, while heavy rains have washed waste and sewage through floodwaters and into populated areas.
With poor sanitation, overcrowding and limited access to safe water, disease spreads rapidly and disproportionately affects young children. The combination of malnutrition and disease is especially lethal: each condition accelerates and worsens the other. Cold temperatures also dramatically increase the body’s energy needs, putting malnourished children, who lack fat and muscle reserves, at severe risk of hypothermia.
UNICEF is on the ground and responding, but the safe, rapid and unimpeded movement of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip is critical.
