An Israeli military strike targeting a nearby building has destroyed a warehouse storing nutrition supplies intended for children, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers in Gaza.
The strike happened overnight (24-25 August) in Deir Al Balah, central Gaza. The force of the explosion caused large sections of the building to collapse, including the roof and walls, completely burying supplies beneath the rubble.
The warehouse belongs to Ard El Insan (AEI), a local humanitarian organisation. It works in partnership with Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) to provide nutritional support to women and children.
The warehouse contained nutritional supplements and supplies intended for malnourished children, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers who are supported by around 60 medical points run by AEI and MAP.
The medical points support up to 100 women and children each day. AEI’s team confirmed that the explosion damaged the entire stock, rendering it unsuitable for human consumption.
Sahar Salem, AEI’s project coordinator, said:
Losing these quantities in their entirety is a major blow to our work and will undoubtedly affect our ability to reach the children and women who need these services, particularly given the conditions they continue to face in the aftermath of starvation.
Since the beginning of the genocide in Gaza, our work has never been easy. Two of our colleagues were killed and another was injured by Israeli military strikes. Every attack and interruption happens at a time when people are in desperate need of the services we provide.
Even with the ceasefire, conditions on the ground remain extremely challenging, and children and women still urgently need continued support. All we hope for is for conditions to become safer so that we can continue our work and reach those who need us. These children and women cannot wait.
Rowida Al-Sabbah, MAP’s nutrition programme lead, said:
When we talk about a warehouse being destroyed, we are not simply talking about a building or quantities of supplies being lost. We are talking about a service being disrupted, about nutritional supplements that were supposed to reach a child, a pregnant woman or a breastfeeding mother who relies on that support.
This is happening at a time when rates of malnutrition remain high, including among children aged five to 10, a group for whom we have seen increasing needs in recent months.
Unfortunately, in Gaza, even the simplest things we need to provide nutrition services are now vulnerable to being lost or disrupted.
Despite all these challenges, we remain determined to do everything we can to continue supporting children and mothers in these areas and to ensure that they do not lose access to a service they urgently need, particularly those who are most at risk.
Humanitarian workers, humanitarian facilities and the supplies that people depend on must be protected.
AEI’s team is currently assessing how to use supplies from other warehouses to ensure services can continue to serve those in need.
Malnutrition rampant in Gaza
The loss of these supplies comes at a time when nutritional needs in Gaza remain severe. A new UNICEF report this week has shown there are concerning rates of maternal and chronic malnutrition in Gaza and that humanitarian aid is vital to prevent further deterioration of people’s conditions.
More than 12% of children in Gaza have been assessed to be suffering from stunting and more than half of pregnant women suffer from severe anaemia driven by acute food insecurity and lack of basic nutrition.
Despite the so-called “ceasefire” agreement, Israeli military attacks in Gaza and forced displacement orders continue to intensify. Israel has killed more than 1,296 Palestinians since October 2025, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
In June 2026, the Independent UN Commission of Inquiry concluded that Israeli forces and authorities have continued to commit genocide, particularly through the targeting of Palestinian children.
MAP is calling for urgent action to ensure the ceasefire endures and becomes permanent. And it wants civilians protected in line with international humanitarian law.
Governments, including the UK, must maintain meaningful pressure on Israel to bring a permanent end to Israel’s genocide. This should include halting arms transfers and ensuring accountability for violations of international law.
Featured image supplied
By The Canary
