As a temporary humanitarian pause allows some aid into Gaza, Save the Children has issued a stark warning that such short-term measures are wholly insufficient to save the lives of children who are facing malnutrition and starvation. The organisation is urgently calling for a permanent and unconditional ceasefire to prevent further loss of life and address the catastrophic humanitarian crisis. While any increase in aid is a potential lifeline, its effectiveness is critically dependent on the duration of the pause and the facilitation of safe, feasible access by Israeli authorities to reach desperate families.

Ahmad Alhendawi, Save the Children’s Regional Director for Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe, said:
“Any increase in the entry of aid via land crossings has the potential to help people survive, primarily children, thousands of whom are otherwise facing their final days after nearly five months of total siege on the entry of all assistance. But just how lifesaving these pauses will be depends on how long they continue and the extent to which Israeli authorities facilitate safe and logistically feasible conditions for the delivery of assistance to starving children and families.”

The stage of malnutrition and starvation across Gaza means that a few days of food aid will not be enough to pull people back from the brink. Save the Children highlights that treating severe malnutrition requires sustained access to diverse foods, nutritional supplements, and often specialist medical care.

The call for a definitive ceasefire comes too late for the 133 people, including 87 children, who have already died from malnutrition and starvation since October 2023, according to the Ministry of Health. Tragically, at least seven of these children have died in the last five days alone, as of 27 July. Humanitarian organisations like Save the Children are prepared to deliver life-saving aid at scale but are being prevented by the ongoing conflict and siege conditions. Only a definitive ceasefire can create the necessary security and access for a full-scale humanitarian response.

“A temporary pause is not enough to make that happen,” Mr Alhendawi continued. “We need a definitive ceasefire and re-establishment of the conditions for the humanitarian system to work at full scale and pace as it is ready to do. Otherwise, the children saved today may not live to see tomorrow.”

Save the Children also warns of the profound psychological torment inflicted upon the population of Gaza. “So long as it is not definitive, any pause offers the people of Gaza a glimmer of hope just to replace it with further horrors – remember the conduct of hostilities has typically intensified between such pauses, and siege conditions were imposed after the last pause ended, directly resulting in the starvation we see sweeping the Strip today.” stated Mr Alhendawi, “A temporary pause is psychological torment for a population who have faced relentless violent mental harm for nearly two years, dangling their survival in front of them in increasing weaponisation of aid and humanitarian access.”

Kalina Tsang, CEO of Save the Children Hong Kong, added:
“The images and reports from Gaza are heartbreaking; the situation for children is beyond dire. We see families resorting to eating animal feed just to survive, and children dying of hunger and severe malnutrition. While our teams are on the ground, ready to act, they are hampered by the lack of safe and unimpeded access. The public support is more critical than ever. Your contribution can provide immediate, life-saving aid to children who are vulnerable in this crisis and others worldwide, helping them to stay safe, healthy, and giving them a chance to rebuild their lives.”