Hundreds of babies in Gaza at risk of death due to severe shortage of formula milk: Report

Babies in Gaza are facing death as baby milk shortage reaches critical levels, said the Guardian quoting doctors in Gaza.

Dr Ahmad al-Farra, the head of paediatrics at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis, said only a week’s worth of baby milk is remaining in his ward, which he is also forced to use for premature babies as specialised formula ran out.

“I can’t begin to describe how bad things are. Right now, we have enough formula for about one week. But we also have infants outside the hospital without any access to milk. It’s catastrophic,” al-Farra told the Guardian.

Infant formula have almost disappeared in Gaza as Israel allowed minimal amounts of aid into the Strip that lacks the baby milk.

The Guardian’s report points out that infant deaths are a worrying indicator of the impending famine crisis in Gaza, stating that Israel is blocking the entry of infant formula, and mothers are either dying or suffering from malnutrition.

A 27-year-old mother of five living at Al-Nuseirat refugee camp was quoted as saying that she struggled to get her 13-month-old-child some milk.

“The problem of getting milk started since my son’s birth, as due to my malnutrition and general weakness I wasn’t able to breastfeed my baby,” Hanaa al-Taweel told the Guardian.

According to the Guardian, doctors going into Gaza had to pack cans of infant formula in their personal luggage. In one incident, the Israeli authorities confiscated 10 cans of infant formula from the luggage of an American doctor who has recently entered the Strip for a medical duty.