Thousands of Palestinian children in Gaza are dealing with malnutrition, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), as Israel continues to severely limit the entry of food, water, medicine, and fuel into the region.

“A large segment of Gaza's population is now facing critical hunger and conditions similar to famine,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced on Wednesday.

“Despite reports suggesting improved food delivery, there is currently no confirmation that those who need it most are receiving adequate amounts and quality of food,” Tedros stated.

In Gaza, 8,000 children under the age of five have been diagnosed and are being treated for severe malnutrition.

“However, due to safety concerns and restricted access, only two stabilization centers for severely malnourished patients are functional,” he added.

Tedros indicated that 32 deaths in the blockaded Palestinian territory have been linked to malnutrition.

United Nations representatives have highlighted the looming threat of famine as Israel continues its military actions in Gaza. In January, the International Court of Justice ruled that Israel must “ensure the provision of basic services and critical humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza”.

In March, the UN’s highest court reiterated this mandate, insisting that Israel take “immediate and effective actions to guarantee the unhindered delivery at scale of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance.”

Even some of Israel’s key allies, such as the United States, have called for increased aid delivery to Gaza and its people.

Last month, Israel seized control of and subsequently shut down the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt, which had been a crucial conduit for aid and humanitarian workers.

Last month, Karim Khan, the prosecutor for the International Criminal Court, requested arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on accusations of war crimes, including utilizing “the starvation of civilians as a method of warfare”.

A commission backed by the United Nations likewise accused Israel of causing hunger among Palestinians.

“With regard to Israeli military operations and attacks in Gaza, the Commission found that Israeli authorities bear responsibility for war crimes such as using starvation as a warfare tactic, murder or intentional killing, deliberately attacking civilians and civilian objects, forced displacement, sexual violence, torture, and inhumane or cruel treatment, arbitrary detention, and assaults on personal dignity,” the panel stated in a report released on Wednesday.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said earlier this week that Israel has taken “important steps” recently to remove obstacles to aid delivery in Gaza but acknowledged that “more can and must be done”.

“It is critical to expedite the inspection process for trucks, reduce backlogs, provide greater clarity on – and minimize the list of – prohibited items, increase visas for aid workers, and process them more swiftly,” Blinken stated at a Gaza aid conference in Jordan on Tuesday.

Blinken, who announced $404 million in new aid for Palestinians, also called for “clearer, more effective mechanisms” to shield humanitarian workers from military operations.

Israeli attacks have resulted in the deaths of at least 270 aid workers in Gaza, including seven members of World Central Kitchen in April – an incident that ignited global outrage.

Relief organizations emphasize that even the inadequate aid that makes it into Gaza often fails to reach those in dire need due to the ongoing Israeli offensive.

“The latest humanitarian package from the US for Gaza is a positive development,” stated the International Rescue Committee on Wednesday. “However, the successful implementation of any financial package relies entirely on unrestricted access for aid and the ability for aid workers to operate without hindrance.”

Beyond Gaza, the WHO's Tedros pointed to an escalating health crisis in the occupied West Bank, where Israeli forces have killed hundreds of people since the conflict began.

“WHO has documented 480 attacks on healthcare in the West Bank since October 7 of last year, resulting in 16 deaths and 95 injuries,” he noted.

In one notable incident, undercover Israeli forces stormed a hospital in Jenin and killed three individuals inside the medical facility.