WHO says 12,000 children suffering from acute malnutrition in Gaza

The World Health Organisation on Tuesday asked Israel to allow it to restock medical supplies before it seizes control of Gaza City, in order to enable it to deal with the "catastrophic" health situation in Gaza, AFP reported.

"We want to as quickly stock up hospitals... following the news... about an incursion in Gaza," Rik Peeperkorn, WHO's representative in the Palestinian territories, said after Israel announced it would "take control" of Gaza City.

Peeperkorn said more than half of all medicines were out of stock.

"We all hear about 'more humanitarian supplies are allowed in'. Well, it's not happening yet, or it's happening at a way too low a pace," he added.

Peeperkorn said WHO was bringing in fewer supplies than it wanted "due to the cumbersome procedures" and products "still denied" entry - a topic of constant negotiation with the Israeli authorities.

Peeperkorn said only 50 percent of hospitals and 38 percent of primary health care centres in Gaza were functioning, and even when functioning, they are only partially functioning.

Consequently, bed occupancy has reached 240 percent capacity in the al-Shifa hospital and 300 percent al-Ahli hospital in northern Gaza.

"The overall health situation remains catastrophic," he said. "Hunger and malnutrition continue to ravage Gaza.

Over 200 people have died from the effects of malnutrition this year.

Nearly 12,000 children under five were identified to be suffering from acute malnutrition in July - the highest monthly figure recorded to date in Gaza, Peeperkorn said. This figure includes 2,562 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition, of whom 40 were hospitalised at stabilisation centres.

Israel has severely restricted the entry of food, water, medicine, and fuel, with the UN warning that famine was imminent.