New York, November 29 (QNA) - The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported on Saturday that approximately 9,300 cases of severe malnutrition were recorded among children under the age of five in the Gaza Strip during October.

In a statement, UNICEF warned that persistently high levels of malnutrition continue to threaten the lives and well-being of children in Gaza, a situation that worsens with the onset of winter, which accelerates the spread of diseases and increases the risk of death among the most vulnerable children.

The statement noted that nutrition screenings conducted by UNICEF and its partners in Gaza during October revealed around 9,300 children under five suffering from severe malnutrition. It also highlighted that large quantities of winter supplies remain at Gaza’s borders, urging the swift and safe delivery of humanitarian aid to the region without obstacles.

UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell stated that thousands of children under five continue to suffer from severe malnutrition in Gaza, while many lack adequate shelter, sanitation services, and protection from the winter. Countless children still face hunger, disease, and exposure to cold temperatures in life-threatening conditions.

She added that many essential items, particularly animal-sourced foods, remain unavailable or prohibitively expensive for most Gaza residents. With winter approaching, thousands of displaced families remain in temporary shelters without warm clothing, blankets, or protection from the elements.

Gaza Strip requires roughly 300,000 tents and prefabricated housing units to meet the most basic shelter needs of Palestinians, following the destruction of infrastructure by Israeli occupation forces during two years of warfare. (QNA)