'I feed him boiled water' says Gazan mother amid dire food shortages

"Sometimes I feed him boiled water, anise, or mint, but this does not replace milk and food," says the mother of five-month-old Abd al-Karim Al-Badou, who is suffering from severe malnutrition. Displaced from their home in Beit Lahia, the family now shelters in Al-Yarmouk Stadium in Gaza City, where access to necessities is nearly impossible. Weighing only three kilograms, Abd al-Karim is critically underweight, yet his family says a local hospital refused to admit him due to an overwhelming number of similar cases.

Their story is one among thousands. As the humanitarian crisis deepens, Gaza faces catastrophic levels of food insecurity. The ongoing conflict and blockade have decimated food supply chains, leaving displaced families with little more than scraps — if that. According to aid agencies, nearly all of Gaza's 2.3 million residents are facing hunger, with hundreds of thousands on the brink of famine. Infant formula and essential medical supplies are virtually nonexistent, forcing desperate mothers to rely on herbal infusions and boiled water to keep their babies alive.

With humanitarian corridors closed or heavily restricted, aid delivery remains sporadic at best. The international community continues to call for urgent and unrestricted access to provide food, water, and medical assistance to civilians.