New Gaza nutrition data challenges starvation accusations, Israel's UN envoy says

New data from a UNICEF-led nutrition survey in the Gaza Strip shows acute malnutrition rates among young children have dropped to levels comparable to or below those recorded before the war, a finding that Israel's ambassador to the United Nations said undermines earlier accusations that Israel deliberately starved Gazans.

Ambassador Danny Danon described those accusations as a "blood libel" and said they were based on Hamas-provided figures rather than independent data.

"During the war in Gaza, Israel was accused by many countries and by many U.N. officials that we deliberately starved the population in Gaza. That was a blood libel," Danon told Fox News. "When we actually answered those claims and asked our colleagues where they got the data, the answer was that they relied on Hamas reports."

Coverage comparison

The story has been covered by Fox News and The Jerusalem Post, both of which highlighted Danon's remarks and the survey findings. Fox News focused on Danon's characterization of the earlier accusations as a "blood libel," while The Jerusalem Post emphasized that the data proves what it called the "false narrative" of a famine in Gaza.

Both outlets reported that the Gaza SMART nutrition survey, coordinated by the UNICEF-led Nutrition Cluster and presented on July 22, 2026, evaluated 1,335 children under age 5 across regions covering approximately 83% of Gaza's population. About 17% of the population could not be surveyed due to security and operational constraints.

Key claims

  • Acute malnutrition rates: The survey found acute malnutrition rates among young children in Gaza ranged from 0.2% to 0.8% using weight-for-height measurements, and 1.3% using mid-upper-arm circumference. Fox News reported that the global estimated rate is 0.5%.
  • Comparison to pre-war levels: According to The Jerusalem Post, these rates are comparable to or below those recorded in Gaza prior to the Israel-Hamas war, and significantly lower than those reported in neighboring countries including Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. The Israeli Foreign Ministry stated on X/Twitter: "There is no famine in Gaza."
  • Stunting: The survey identified stunting as a main child nutrition concern, affecting about one in eight children in Gaza, The Jerusalem Post reported.
  • Unhealthy diet: Fox News reported that unhealthy food consumption is high in some areas of Gaza, though neither outlet provided further detail on this finding.
  • Hamas and aid distribution: Danon told Fox News that Hamas hijacked aid distribution networks for financial gain, a claim Fox News reported but The Jerusalem Post did not mention in its coverage. Danon also argued that the international community should not rely on what he called "a terrorist organization" for data.
  • Israel's withdrawal from Gaza: Fox News noted that Israel withdrew its military and civilian presence from Gaza in 2005.
  • Nutritional situation improving: The Jerusalem Post reported that the nutrition situation in Gaza has improved since early 2026, though needs remain high.

Perspectives

Israel's government – Ambassador Danny Danon, speaking to Fox News and The Jerusalem Post, said the survey results vindicate Israel's position that it did not deliberately starve Gazans. He accused U.N. officials and others of spreading what he called a "blood libel" based on Hamas data, and said those who rushed to accuse Israel should now be held accountable. The Israeli Foreign Ministry echoed this, stating on X/Twitter that malnutrition in Gaza is "exceptionally low in regional comparison" and that anyone still open to arguments could look at the empirical data.

The survey's findings – The UNICEF-led Nutrition Cluster survey itself, as reported by both outlets, presents data showing low acute malnutrition rates alongside ongoing concerns such as stunting and unhealthy diets. The survey's methodology used internationally recognized WHO standards, measuring children's weight, height, and mid-upper-arm circumference.