Doctors Without Borders on Thursday accused Israel of deliberately restricting food and humanitarian aid in Gaza, saying the blockade had created a “manufactured malnutrition crisis” that has severely affected infants as well as pregnant and breastfeeding women.
The medical charity, also known by its French acronym MSF, released a report based on findings from four healthcare facilities it supports across the Gaza Strip between late 2024 and early 2026.
According to the organisation, the study recorded increased rates of premature births and infant deaths among malnourished mothers, along with a rise in miscarriages.
MSF attributed the worsening conditions to Israel’s blockade on essential supplies and attacks on civilian infrastructure, including hospitals and healthcare centres.
“Insecurity, displacement, restrictions on aid, and limited access to food and medical care have had devastating consequences for maternal and newborn health,” the organisation said, warning that conditions remain “extremely fragile” despite the ceasefire that came into effect last October after two years of conflict.
The charity urged Israeli authorities to immediately permit unrestricted humanitarian assistance into Gaza.
“The malnutrition crisis is entirely manufactured,” said Merce Rocaspana, MSF’s medical referent for emergencies.
Before the war began, “malnutrition in Gaza was almost non-existent”, she added.
High rates of premature births
MSF said it reviewed data from over 200 mothers and newborns treated in neonatal intensive care units at hospitals in Khan Yunis and Gaza City between June and January.
The analysis found that more than half the women experienced malnutrition during pregnancy, while one in four remained malnourished at the time of delivery.
The report stated that 90 per cent of babies born to malnourished mothers were premature, while 84pc were born underweight.
“Neonatal mortality was twice as high among infants born to mothers affected by malnutrition compared with those born to mothers without malnutrition,” MSF said.
The organisation also analysed figures from 513 infants under six months enrolled in outpatient therapeutic feeding programmes in Khan Yunis between October 2024 and December 2025.
It found that 91pc of the infants faced risks to growth and development.
By December last year, 200 infants had left the programme, but fewer than half had recovered, while seven per cent had died, according to the report.
Aid distribution points called ‘militarised and deadly’
MSF said the hunger crisis extended beyond infants and mothers.
Between January 2024 and February 2026, the organisation admitted 4,176 children under the age of 15 for acute malnutrition treatment, with 97pc of them younger than five.
During the same period, 3,336 pregnant and breastfeeding women were enrolled in outpatient nutrition programmes.
The report also criticised the US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which was created last year to replace much of the UN-led aid distribution system in Gaza.
MSF noted that by late May 2025, the number of food distribution centres had fallen from around 400 to just four under the foundation, which ceased operations in November.
The aid points were “militarised and deadly”, said Jose Mas, head of MSF’s emergency unit.
MSF added that during the foundation’s operations, healthcare facilities supported by the organisation saw a sharp rise in patients injured at food distribution sites, alongside increasing cases of malnutrition linked to food shortages.
The charity also reported witnessing a significant rise in miscarriages during that period.
