Palestinian evacuee dies in Italy amid Gaza relief efforts

Marah Abu Zuhri, 20, arrived in Pisa on an Italian humanitarian flight along with other critical patients

Malnourished Palestinian woman dies in Italy after Gaza evacuation

A 20-year-old Palestinian woman evacuated from Gaza died in a Pisa hospital while receiving treatment for severe malnutrition. Doctors described her condition as a very complex case of organic wasting, and she arrived in Pisa on Wednesday night as part of three Italian air force flights carrying 31 patients with serious congenital diseases, wounds or amputations. The hospital said she experienced a sudden respiratory crisis and cardiac arrest after initial tests and treatment.

International agencies have reported that more than 180 children and young people from Gaza have been brought to Italy and other countries since the war began. The World Food Programme notes that about one-third of Gaza’s population has days with little or no food, and roughly half a million people are on the brink of starvation. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification warns the worst-case famine scenario is unfolding, calling for an urgent ceasefire to ease widespread hunger. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says five more people died last week from malnutrition and related conditions, bringing the total malnutrition deaths since October 2023 to 227, including 103 children. While political leaders deny hunger, international aid workers emphasize the need to keep evacuations running and to expand nutrition and medical support alongside relief.

The tragedy underscores how medical evacuations rely on steady nutrition and robust health systems. Even when patients reach care abroad, preexisting conditions and malnutrition dramatically increase mortality risk, highlighting gaps in regional nutrition and food relief programs. Public statements by political leaders can complicate relief work, shaping donor moods and public expectations more than the lives of patients on waiting lists. Rebuilding trust means keeping evacuations safe while also ensuring nutrition, vaccines, and follow-up care travel with patients, not just the sickest who can be transported. The story points to a broader need for continuous, nonpoliticized access to humanitarian assistance and reliable nutrition monitoring for Gaza’s most vulnerable.

Highlights

Sustained, well-coordinated relief remains essential to prevent further tragedies.