AhlulBayt News Agency: The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) has issued an urgent appeal to save the lives of hundreds of infants and premature babies in Gaza, warning that the lack of therapeutic milk poses a life-threatening risk amid Israel’s ongoing blockade.
The Center stated that the complete closure of Gaza’s crossings for nearly four months, along with the prevention of humanitarian and medical aid, constitutes a war crime and part of a continuing genocide policy.
The report highlights a critical shortage of fortified milk in Gaza’s hospitals, especially for infants with immune deficiencies, digestive disorders, or those unable to breastfeed.
Dr. Jamil Suleiman, director of Al-Rantisi Children’s Hospital, confirmed that therapeutic milk has been unavailable for a long time, and the hospital’s limited supply is nearly exhausted.
He added that many mothers are unable to breastfeed due to malnutrition, and essential formulas for infants under six months are no longer available.
Suleiman noted that the hospital needs around 500 cans of therapeutic milk monthly, but doctors are now helpless as children’s conditions worsen and deaths are being recorded.
He also stressed the urgent need for various types of therapeutic milk, including lactose-free, anti-reflux, soya-based, and hydrolyzed formulas, which are now nearly impossible to find.
The Center reported that even when small quantities of formula are available in pharmacies, prices are unaffordable for most families, making access nearly impossible.
One mother, Azhar Mohammed Warsh Agha, described how her four-month-old daughter became ill after being fed unsuitable formula due to the shortage, leading to severe diarrhea and hospitalization.
She said she is now forced to dilute the remaining milk, despite knowing it’s dangerous, because she has no other option.
The PCHR warned that rising malnutrition rates are endangering thousands of children, with over 5,000 cases of acute malnutrition recorded in May alone.
UNICEF data shows that 636 children are suffering from severe acute malnutrition, requiring urgent medical care that is largely unavailable due to the blockade.
Since February, malnutrition cases have surged by 146%, with over 16,000 children hospitalized between January and May.
The World Health Organization has confirmed 55 child deaths from malnutrition, and the toll is expected to rise if aid remains blocked.
The PCHR emphasized that denying food and medicine, including therapeutic milk, violates international humanitarian law and constitutes a war crime under the Rome Statute.
The Center called on the international community to pressure Israel to open Gaza’s crossings and allow the entry of life-saving aid.
It also urged the European Union to suspend its association agreement with Israel, stating that continued cooperation amounts to complicity in genocide.
Finally, the Center appealed to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health to investigate and expose these violations.
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