Death of 14,000 babies in Gaza within two days? How the United Nations spread fake news

"14,000 babies will die in the next 48 hours if we can't reach them. I want to save as many of those 14,000 babies as possible in the next 48 hours." These harrowing statements, uttered by Tom Fletcher, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs from the UK, on ​​BBC Radio 4 on Tuesday, sparked worldwide media coverage.

The American Time magazine ran the headline: “UN warns that 14,000 babies in Gaza could die within days without immediate aid as humanitarian trucks arrive.” The British Guardian, the New York Times , ABC News and many others also reported.

During the BBC broadcast, Fletcher was questioned about how he came to this statement. His response was that the United Nations had "strong teams on the ground." On Wednesday, BBC journalists confronted the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs with Fletcher's statement.

The false information continues to spread online

This turned out to be a misinterpretation of the UN report on the so-called Richter scale of hunger warning that a total of 14,000 children between six months and five years old in the Gaza Strip could be affected by malnutrition over the course of a year starting in April 2025. The report did not indicate the children's imminent deaths. However, Fletcher's office called for humanitarian supplies to be made available within the next 48 hours. The BBC subsequently published a correction.

Nonetheless, Fletcher's original statement is still widely reposted on social media. The charity Save the Children's Instagram account still features a post stating, "14,000 babies could die in the next 48 hours, according to the United Nations." Nine members of the British Parliament have referred to the hoax in public statements.

The supply situation in Gaza remains dire. Following the end of the Israeli blockade on humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, Israel reports that further deliveries have arrived in the area. 107 trucks carrying relief supplies such as flour, other food items, medical equipment, and medicines entered the coastal strip on Thursday, the responsible authority, Cogat, announced Friday morning. According to the information, this is humanitarian aid from the United Nations and the international community.

Israel had suspended aid deliveries since the beginning of March. The country accuses Hamas of reselling the aid to finance its fighters and weapons. Aid has begun flowing again since Monday. However, according to aid workers, the quantities arrived so far are far from sufficient to alleviate the dire suffering of the people on the ground.