Wars lead to many struggles, one main one being hunger. Hunger is often used as a weapon during war affecting the civilians in places like Sudan and Gaza. Gaza has been struggling with a starvation problem, leaving over 65,000 children and babies affected. Sudan’s civil war has caused over 46% of increase of children suffering with acute malnutrition, this led to over 40,000 children being treated in early 2025.
Humanitarian agencies like The World Health Organization and UNICEF have had problems with sending aid and food out to starving families this usually happens when blockades happen and it becomes a struggle for them to enter these areas. They have warned that without immediate humanitarian assistance, this would lead to a impending, large- scale famine.
When CBS news sent reporters out with UNICEF volunteers and were monitoring children under the age of 3, many of them looked very malnourished. They documented that many of the worst cases were hospitalized. At the Al-Buluk Children’s Hospital in Omdurman, which is situated only 12 miles from the fighting. CBS reporters interviewed Dr. Mohammed Fadlalla, who informs his knowledge on this situation.
“Severe acute malnutrition happens over time,” Fadlalla explained “It’s where kids don’t get enough nutrients…They’re unable to fight infections like normal. They’re unable to utilize nutrition like normal…And the majority of children who have severe acute malnutrition end up getting an infection and dying from it.”
As Sudan struggles with this issue so does Gaza. According to the latest IPC report Gaza is not classified as being in famine but this does not mean that they are still not struggling. It is reported that Gaza is still in emergency with hundreds of thousands of people still facing very high acute malnutrition.
When United Nations reporters interviewed UN Secretary-General António Guterres at the UN headquarters in New York. He gave them insight on what he knew and how it would affect the population in Gaza.
“Famine has been pushed back. Far more people are able to access the food they need to survive,” Secretary-General ,uAntónio Guterres.
As UN Secretary-General António Guterres tells reporters that information he adds on by expressing that even though Gaza has a population of 1.6 million people 75% of the population still faces acute malnutrition.
“Are projected to face extreme levels of acute food insecurity and critical malnutrition risks.”- Secretary-General António Guterres.
As this information gets out to the public people start worrying some even said this was a failure of humanity. It even sparks outrage for some people and the demands that a ceasefire must happen. This issue was then taken on by Secretary-General António Guterres as he takes his opinion on this issue.
“Families are enduring the unendurable,” UN reporters report. He then describes children sleeping in flooded tents and the building that collapsed due to heavy rain and wind to the UN reporters.
Ultimately the events that were described should awaken the public. It should also call for immediate humanitarian aid that should be given to the people who suffer because of war. As a community we should all stand for peace and put an end to the suffering.
