Twelve-year-old Rahaf Ayad sits in a Gaza hospital bed, her fragile frame battling severe malnutrition. “All my friends are gone. I miss school… but most of all, I just want to be a child again,” she whispers. Her story has become a painful symbol of Gaza’s escalating humanitarian crisis as aid supplies dwindle and critical border crossings remain closed.
Doctors report a 68% spike in childhood malnutrition cases since January, while UN officials warn that 1.1 million people in Gaza face “catastrophic” food insecurity. Rahaf’s mother, Um Ahmed, tears up as she describes rationing meals: “We eat once a day—bread with salt. How do I tell my children this is normal?” 🍞💔
Humanitarian groups urge immediate action, but blocked aid trucks and bureaucratic hurdles delay relief. Meanwhile, displaced families shelter in overcrowded tents, with summer heatwaves compounding health risks. “Every child here is fighting two battles,” says Dr. Alaa Hammad, a pediatrician. “Malnutrition weakens their bodies, but it’s the loss of hope that truly breaks them.”
Rahaf’s plea highlights a generation caught between geopolitics and survival—a reality that UN agencies say could leave lasting scars. 🌍⚡
