At a hospital in Gaza City, Nasma Ayad strokes the hair of her frail daughter Jana. She waits in hope for her daughter's medical evacuation from Gaza — but time is running out. According to Nasma, her daughter is slowly wasting away before her eyes.
Eight-year-old Jana Ayad has become a symbol of malnourished children. She weighs only 11 kilograms, and struggles to see, speak, and stand. In Gaza, it is nearly impossible to treat complex illnesses — food shortages, lack of medical supplies, and war have halted many services.
"Due to lack of protein and food, Jana's body started developing edema," says Suzan Marouf, the nutritionist treating the patient.
Jana’s sister Jouri was also in critical condition. She died on July 20 from kidney failure worsened by hunger. Nasma had tried to evacuate both daughters abroad, but it didn’t happen. Although the Gaza Health Ministry had listed them for evacuation, the process was never completed.
The UN and international humanitarian organizations describe the hunger crisis in Gaza as catastrophic. Official figures show that 156 people have died from hunger-related causes so far — 90 of them children.
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