Lead

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has accused Israel of deliberately restricting food and aid in Gaza, creating what it calls a "manufactured malnutrition crisis" with particularly severe effects on pregnant women and newborns. In a report released Thursday, the medical charity said its analysis of data from four health facilities in the Gaza Strip showed that more than half of the women studied suffered from malnutrition at some point during their pregnancy, and that this was linked to higher rates of premature births and health complications for both mothers and babies.

Coverage Comparison

The report was covered by several international outlets, including Al Jazeera and Pakistan's Dawn newspaper. Both outlets quoted MSF's statement that the crisis is "entirely manufactured" and highlighted the charity's call for Israel to allow the unhindered entry of aid. However, there were some differences in the details emphasized. Al Jazeera's report placed greater stress on the claim that Israel's actions constitute a direct cause of the crisis, noting that malnutrition was "almost non-existent" before the conflict began in October 2023. Dawn, on the other hand, focused more on the humanitarian consequences, quoting MSF's warning that the situation remains "extremely fragile" despite a ceasefire in place since October. Neither outlet raised questions about the credibility of MSF's data, which was based on the charity's own work in the enclave.

Key Claims

  • First cases of child malnutrition: MSF says it identified its first cases of child malnutrition in January 2024, three months into Israel's military offensive, according to Al Jazeera.
  • Widespread maternal malnutrition: Data from more than 200 mothers and newborns treated at MSF-supported hospitals in Khan Yunis and Gaza City showed that over half of the women were malnourished at some point during their pregnancy, with a quarter still malnourished at delivery.
  • High rates of prematurity and low birth weight: Of the babies born to malnourished mothers, 90% were premature and 84% had a low birth weight, according to MSF data cited by both outlets.
  • Threat to infant development: Dawn reported that 91% of infants under six months old were at risk of poor growth and development, and that 4,176 children under 15 were admitted to acute malnutrition programs.
  • Widespread displacement: Al Jazeera reported that more than 60% of Palestinians in Gaza are now homeless.

Perspectives

MSF's report is based on data collected between late 2024 and early 2026 at four health facilities it supports in Gaza. The charity said it decided to release the analysis to highlight the human cost of what it describes as Israel's "systematic blockade" of humanitarian aid and commercial goods. "The malnutrition crisis is entirely manufactured," said Merce Rocaspana, MSF's medical referent for emergencies, in the statement. "Before the war, malnutrition in Gaza was almost non-existent." MSF is urging the Israeli authorities to allow the unhindered entry of assistance and supplies into Gaza immediately. The report does not include figures for overall malnutrition in Gaza prior to the conflict, but MSF maintains the situation deteriorated drastically after the start of the current conflict.