A British charity delivering life-saving aid in Gaza has warned of the devastating and irreversible impact of starvation on its besieged people.
In an intervention on a crisis that worsens by the day Humanity & Inclusion said those living with disabilities, children, and newborns, were blameless victims in a man-made humanitarian disaster that has now reached “catastrophic levels”.
Malnutrition is closely linked to disability, worsening pre-existing conditions, and often causes severe physical and cognitive impairments.
George Graham, the charity’s executive director, said: “What we are witnessing is not only a man-made crisis but one that is rapidly creating a generation of people with lifelong disabilities, caused directly by prolonged malnutrition and lack of access to essential aid.
“As starvation hits everyone in the Gaza Strip, it leaves a disproportionate impact on children and people with disabilities. Malnutrition is a leading cause of disability; we risk an entire generation being born with disabilities due to famished and malnourished mothers.”
Despite the existence of life-saving aid including food, water, medical supplies, and fuel, much of it remains stuck in warehouses, including inside Gaza.
Calls by the UN to end the suffering of 2.1 million innocent Palestinians struggling to be fed have gone unheeded.
The Hamas-controlled enclave blames Israel for impeding the flow of aid and equipment while Israel insists it abides by international law and claims a distorted picture has been given to the world by terrorists who launched a cross-border killing spree on October 7, 2023 and tightly control the flow of information out of the territory.
Meanwhile, aid deliveries currently average only 28 trucks a day – significantly below the 500 to 1,000 Gaza received daily before war erupted.
During February’s ceasefire an average of 600 trucks were entering each day and that number was insufficient.
Humanity & Inclusion, which works alongside disabled and vulnerable people in 58 countries affected by poverty, conflict and disaster, said more than 83% of people with disabilities in Gaza have lost their assistive devices, leaving them unable to move, seek help, or evacuate.
It has led calls for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, an end to the siege, and the restoration of a UN-led humanitarian system with full, unrestricted access.
The charity said newborns denied formula and clean water are dying, while many are born with disabilities like cerebral palsy because of maternal malnourishment, with nutritional deficiencies weakening immune systems, worsening injuries, delaying healing, and compounding health complications, particularly among those already living with disabilities.
Victoria Rose, a British consultant plastic surgeon who recently returned from Gaza said “there’s virtually no infrastructure left”.
She said: “I think 69% of all buildings have been destroyed and 94% of all hospitals have been completely or partially destroyed.
“The pictures that we are seeing now are showing very late stage malnutrition. So not only are we not seeing adequate food supplies, we are not seeing adequate medical supplies.”
The October 7 attacks prompted Israel to unleash hellfire and fury on Hamas, its allies and proxies, and elicited a promise from Benjamin Netanyahu to wipe the terror cell from the face of the earth.
The Israeli Prime Minister is now said to be considering a plan to fully occupy Gaza.
As the world appeals for calm those trapped inside the enclave continue to suffer.
Mr Graham said: “Aid sits unused in Gaza because Israeli authorities refuse, delay and restrict coordination and guarantees for unfettered access and safe passage. We are being blocked at every turn and accused of not doing our jobs while being denied the tools to do them.
“Starvation cannot be solved by a few trucks, a new crossing, or a few hours of calm. Children who have endured months of hunger are suffering irreversible harm, stunted growth, cognitive damage, injuries that become life-changing disabilities, and trauma. For many, it is already too late.
“We are also concerned about the fact that, with no one on the ground to organise the distribution, packages can’t be accessed by the most vulnerable, such as elderly people, people with disabilities and women-headed households.
“Children and civilians in Gaza cannot wait. We are witnessing the irreversible – a humanitarian catastrophe giving rise to mass, preventable disability. This cannot continue.”