Girl with Celiac Disease Starves in Sealed Gaza
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A 12-year-old Palestinian girl is fighting severe malnutrition because she cannot find safe food. Gaza's borders are closed.
Hoda Abu al-Naja has celiac disease. This means she cannot eat gluten, a protein found in wheat and other grains. If she does, it damages her body.
After Israel sealed Gaza, her family spent months searching for special gluten-free food. This food is necessary for her survival. Without it, she cannot get the nutrients she needs.
The border closure has trapped all Gazans. For Hoda, it has created a life-threatening search for basic medical care and appropriate food. Her struggle highlights how封锁 (blockades) uniquely endanger people with pre-existing health conditions.