At least 15 children die of malnutrition and dehydration in Gaza as Biden air drops criticised as ‘not enough’

At least 15 children have died from malnutrition and dehydration in Gaza, reports over the weekend suggested, with Unicef saying they were entirely preventable.

The news came after the United States made its first airdrops of aid into Gaza at the start of the weekend and the White House called for a ceasefire to ease the situation.

Gaza’s health ministry said that it feared for other children who had been hospitalised because of malnutrition and dehydration.

UNICEF’s Regional Director in the Middle East, Adele Khodr, said on Sunday that ten deaths had happened in the past few days.

“There are likely more children fighting for their lives somewhere in one of Gaza’s few remaining hospitals, and likely even more children in the north unable to obtain care at all,” Ms Khodr said. “These tragic and horrific deaths are man-made, predictable and entirely preventable.”

The US has dropped some 38,000 meals into Gaza, as part of a “sustained effort” to increase aid making it into the embattled territory.

However, some have criticised the move, saying that the US has not done enough so far.

A Palestinian girl carries a child through the rubble of houses destroyed by Israeli bombardment in Gaza City on 3 March 2024

“Airdrops, we think, are a bit of theatre,” the head of Save the Children, Janti Soeripto, told Sky News.

“Essentially what we need is opening of crossings, more trucks of supplies coming in, we need a ceasefire, we need safe and unfettered access to the communities.”

That call for a ceasefire got a boost on Sunday when Vice President Kamala Harris said one needed to happen immediately.

“[G]iven the immense scale of suffering in Gaza, there must be an immediate ceasefire — for at least the next six weeks, which is what is