GAZA: An Israeli strike in central Gaza has destroyed a charity warehouse containing nutritional supplies for malnourished children, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers.
The warehouse, operated by Palestinian humanitarian organization Ard El Insan, was damaged when Israel struck a nearby building in Deir Al-Balah on Monday overnight.
In a statement on Tuesday, Ard El Insan said the warehouse contained nutritional supplements and other supplies distributed through around 60 medical points it operates in partnership with Medical Aid for Palestinians. Each facility provides support to as many as 100 women and children a day.
The organization said its entire stock at the warehouse had been damaged and was no longer safe for human consumption.
“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,” Sahar Salem, Ard El Insan’s project coordinator, said.
She added the loss was particularly damaging given the continuing nutritional needs of women and children in Gaza following prolonged hunger and severe food shortages.
“Every attack and interruption happens at a time when people are in desperate need of the services we provide,” Salem said. “These children and women cannot wait.”
Rowida Al-Sabbah, nutrition program lead at MAP, said the destruction went beyond the loss of a building or supplies.
“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,” she said.
“Even with the ceasefire, conditions on the ground remain extremely challenging, and children and women still urgently need continued support.”
Ard El Insan said it was assessing whether supplies from its other warehouses can be redirected to keep its nutrition services operating.
The loss comes amid continuing high levels of malnutrition in Gaza. A UNICEF report released this week found that more than 12 percent of children assessed were suffering from stunting, while more than half of pregnant women had severe anaemia amid acute food insecurity and inadequate nutrition.
Israeli strikes have continued in Gaza despite the ceasefire, with the Palestinian Health Ministry reporting more than 1,296 people killed since October 2025.
