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FROM THE FIELD

Grave threat that Gaza violence will leave thousands more children malnourished
30 Dec 2008 16:14:00 GMT
 Source: Save the Children UK
Save the Children

Website: Website: http://www.savethechildren.org.uk

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•  Israeli-Palestinian conflict

•  Food and hunger

•  Children

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Save the Children warns that thousands more children could be pushed over the limit into malnutrition if there is not a break in the violence so food aid can be distributed. Already before the strikes began, one in four children in Gaza was suffering from malnutrition.

Even before the latest rise in violence, 50,000 children were malnourished, 70% had a vitamin A deficiency and almost half of children under age two were anaemic due to the border blockade.

Salwa El Tibi, Save the Children UK in Gaza: "Save the Children desperately need a break in the violence and for the blockade to be lifted so we can get to these children. We have over a thousand food packages in Gaza ready to be given out that could feed as many families for a fortnight, but we can't go outside to distribute them"

With malnutrition rates already this high, children are extremely vulnerable to catching diseases which, with a break in food aid and medical supplies, could end up fatal.

Of the 1.5 million living in Gaza, 1.1 million were dependent on food aid from agencies like Save the Children. Now, all families in Gaza are being forced to survive on any stocks they might have had in their house when the attacks began 4 days ago.

Even for those who have money and make it to stores to buy food, most shops aren't open or don't have any supplies. Babies are particularly vulnerable. Though there is still some powdered milk available, many mothers are already running out of safe water to mix it with, and there are barely any dairy products left at all.

Save the Children is launching an appeal to help provide food, medicines and water and sanitation to families in Gaza. To find out more, go to www.savethechildren.org.uk

-ENDS-

Notes to Editors:

To speak with Salwa from Gaza City, or arrange for an interview in London, please call Anna Ford on 0207 012 6844, or for out of hours, please call the on call mobile on 07831 650 409




[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]

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[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]

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Smoke rises after an Israel air strike in Gaza December 30, 2008. Israel hit the Gaza Strip with more air strikes on Tuesday and warned its military action could last weeks, ...


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