A year after a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel was intended to ease the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, widespread hunger and malnutrition persist across the territory. Many families, such as that of 35-year-old mother Niyaha al-Masri from Khan Yunis, continue to depend on community kitchens operated by humanitarian organizations for their daily sustenance.

Al-Masri spends more than six hours each day waiting in line to collect food for her family of ten, including her husband who is unable to gather food due to wounds sustained in an airstrike. The meals they receive—mainly rice, lentils, and small amounts of chicken—constitute their only nourishment of the day, with limited supplies leading to rationing of flour and no additional meals. The family currently lives in a tent that requires continual patching by her children using scavenged materials such as nylon and cardboard.

The grim situation reflects broader food insecurity in Gaza. In August 2025, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), a United Nations-backed initiative, declared a state of famine in the territory. Israel quickly disputed this characterization. By December of the same year, the UN lifted the famine declaration, citing increased food deliveries following the ceasefire as reasons for improvement. The Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), an Israeli defense ministry body overseeing civilian affairs in Palestinian territories, has described the humanitarian situation as stable.

However, aid officials maintain that severe food insecurity remains a critical concern. According to Shaun Hughes of the UN World Food Programme, as of July, approximately 1.4 million of Gaza’s estimated 2.1 million residents are acutely food insecure, with some 200,000 individuals classified as nearly famine-affected. Hughes emphasized that while some food supplies have entered the region, the lack of dietary diversity is a major challenge. “You cannot survive on dry goods and wheat flour and bread alone,” he noted, highlighting the nutritional needs of children and pregnant or breastfeeding women who require micronutrients found in high-protein foods, fresh vegetables, and fruits.

Medical experts in Gaza corroborate these concerns, pointing to an increase in malnutrition-related health problems. Israa al-Najjar, head of the malnutrition unit at Khan Yunis’s Nasser Hospital, reported a rise in immune system disorders and syndromes linked to nutritional deficiencies. A recent study by Medecins du Monde found that 93% of pregnant or breastfeeding women in Gaza exhibited symptoms of anemia, a condition related to malnutrition, and only 17% consumed a diet meeting basic nutritional variety.

Malnutrition’s effects extend beyond immediate health issues. Hughes warned that repeated episodes of acute malnutrition in children can lead to long-term cognitive and physical impairments. Despite these challenges, families like al-Masri’s continue to rely daily on humanitarian aid amid deteriorating living conditions, underscoring ongoing vulnerabilities within Gaza’s civilian population.