UN Withdraws Report Claiming 14,000 Child Deaths In Gaza In 48 Hrs
The United Nations has withdrawn a claim made by one of its officials about 14,000 Gazan children dying if they do not receive the aid within 48 hours. The UN under-secretary-general Tom Fletcher made the statement during an interview with the BBC. Now, the international organisation clarified that while the figure is correct, the given time frame is different.
The UN official’s remark brought international attention demanding for immediate release of food and nutrition. Even former Israeli PM Ehud Olmert called out the current Israeli regime.
Read also: Palestinian Poet Mosab Abu Toha Wins Pulitzer Prize For Commentary
On the BBC, Fletcher said that five trucks are waiting on the other side of the border that need to reach the communities as they need them. “This is baby food, baby nutrition. There are 14,000 babies that will die in the next 48 hours unless we can reach them”, Fletcher said.
After the interview drew much attention, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) clarified. The international body stated, “We are pointing to the imperative of getting supplies to save an estimated 14,000 babies suffering from severe acute malnutrition in Gaza, as the IPC [Integrated Food Security Phase Classification] partnership has warned about. We need to get the supplies in as soon as possible, ideally within the next 48 hours”.
Read also: Pope Francis’ Popemobile To Become Mobile Clinic For Gaza’s Children
Notably, as per the IPC report, there are 14,100 cases of acute malnutrition that could impact children in Gaza aged 6 to 59 months from April 2025 and March 2026.
As per the recent reports by the Palestinian health minister, at least 29 children and elderly people have died from starvation-related deaths in the Gaza Strip recently. Also, thousands more are at risk as limited aid started trickling into the bombarded enclave.
However, Israel has allowed limited deliveries of humanitarian assistance into Gaza amid international condemnation of its 11-week total blockade on the territory, which spurred warnings of mass famine.
