The situation is especially serious in the north of the territory, where one in six children under two years of age suffers from acute malnutrition, the organization highlighted in a statement.

UNICEF cited a new analysis published by the Global Nutrition Group on the situation in the enclave, which has been under attack by the Israeli Army for over 130 days, showing that food and drinking water has become incredibly scarce and diseases are widespread, which compromises the nutrition and immunity of women and children.

Nutritional screenings conducted in shelters and health centers in the northern Gaza Strip revealed that 15.6 percent or one in six children under two years of age suffer from acute malnutrition. Of them, almost three percent are affected by severe wasting, the most life-threatening form of malnutrition.

“The Gaza Strip is about to see an explosion of preventable child deaths,” said Ted Chaiban, UNICEF Deputy Executive Director of Humanitarian Action and Supply Operations, who warned that if the conflict continues the situation in the territory will worsen.

The Fund estimates that 90 percent of children under two years of age and 95 percent of pregnant and lactating women face a severe lack of food. 95 percent of households in Gaza limit meals and portion sizes and 64 percent feed only once a day.

UNICEF revealed that on average, households surveyed had access to less than one liter of drinking water per person per day, although UN standards raise the figure to at least three every 24 hours.

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