Malnourished toddler in Gaza fights for life amid ongoing Israeli attacks

GAZA CITY, GAZA - JULY 21: Muhammad Zakariya Ayyoub al-Matouq, a 1.5-year-old child in Gaza City, Gaza, faces life-threatening malnutrition as the humanitarian situation worsens due to ongoing Israeli attacks and blockade, on July 21, 2025. Having dropped from 9 to 6 kilograms, he struggles to survive in a tent in Gaza City, where milk, food, and other basic necessities are lacking. Suzan Marouf, a clinical nutrition specialist at Patient Friend’s Hospital, confirmed that Mohammad’s condition worsened due to severe malnutrition caused by the ongoing Israeli siege. When his family brought him to the hospital a month ago, doctors diagnosed him with moderate malnutrition in addition to pre-existing congenital health issues, including brain complications and muscle atrophy. Marouf said they had been trying to stabilize Mohammad’s condition using the last remaining nutritional supplements. "The medical issues he had weren’t significantly affecting his weight," she noted. (Photo by Ahmed Jihad Ibrahim Al-arini/Anadolu via Getty Images)