22-month-old Gazan girl struggles to survive under Israeli blockade

GAZA, PALESTINE - JUNE 29: A 22-month-old Palestinian girl, Sham Qudeih, is fighting for her life due to acute malnutrition and liver enlargement amid the ongoing Israeli siege on the Gaza Strip, her family said Sunday, June 29. The toddler, who lost her father in an Israeli attack a month ago, now lives with her mother and sister in a makeshift tent in the coastal al-Mawasi region, enduring harsh conditions without access to proper nutrition or healthcare. Despite being nearly two years old, Sham weighs only 4.5 kilograms. Her mother, Islam Qudeih, says her daughter is constantly crying due to hunger, weakness, and the unbearable heat inside the tent. "I had her admitted to the hospital, but due to the lack of treatment and the absence of the basic necessities for her survival, we returned to the tent," said the desperate mother, adding: "We’re suffering a lot just to find food. Now, everything in Gaza is expensive, and most things are simply not available." She also voiced deep concern about her daughter’s worsening health, caused by the lack of calcium and essential nutrients. "She’s teething now, but I noticed her teeth have changed color because of poor nutrition and calcium deficiency," she said. "I get scared when I pick her up — her rib cage bones are sticking out," the mother said, stressing that: "I had her after nine years of waiting. I can’t bear the thought of losing her." Sham is among thousands of children suffering from severe hunger and lack of medical care since the Israeli military imposed a tightened blockade on Gaza’s southern areas, including Khan Younis. (Footage by Doaa Albaz /Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)