The World Health Organization’s chief has called for more aid to enter Gaza, amid reports of children dying from malnutrition in the besieged territory.

“Children who survived bombardment but may not survive a famine,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X. “Allow more aid for Gaza. Ceasefire.”

Earlier, the Palestinian Health Ministry said the death toll from malnutrition and dehydration in Gaza has risen to 18, according to Al Jazeera.

“The famine is deepening and will claim thousands of lives if the aggression is not halted and humanitarian and medical aid is not immediately brought in,” the ministry said in a statement.

It added that Israel was “deliberately” starving thousands of hungry people in northern Gaza and called on the international community and the UN to halt the war and avoid a “health catastrophe”.