One-third of Gaza’s population has been hungry for days: United Nations

According to the United Nations World Food Program, about one-third of the people in Gaza have been desperately struggling for food for several days. The organization reports that nearly one out of every three individuals has been forced to endure prolonged hunger.

The program also highlights that “malnutrition is on the rise, with approximately 90,000 women and children in urgent need of treatment.” In a statement, the World Food Programme (WFP) has described the situation as becoming increasingly dire.

This week’s warnings of famine in Gaza have intensified. On Friday alone, nine people died due to malnutrition. According to the Hamas-run Ministry of Health in Gaza, the death toll due to malnutrition since the beginning of the conflict has reached 122.

The grim situation has been exacerbated by Israel’s strict control over the entry of all supplies into Gaza. However, Israel claims it has not blocked the entry of relief materials and blames Hamas for the malnutrition crisis.

Israeli security officials indicated that airlifts of relief supplies to Gaza might be authorized in the coming days, but the United Nations has warned that failure to act immediately could worsen the situation. Nonetheless, aid organizations have previously criticized this type of supply delivery as ineffective.

Local media reports suggest that the United Arab Emirates and Jordan are preparing to airlift recent relief supplies, but a senior Jordanian official stated that they have yet to receive permission from Israel.

The UN has criticized this move as a “distraction” aimed at covering up the inactivity of the Israeli government. This situation has emerged amid increasing international concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

On Friday, Germany, France, and Britain issued a joint statement urging Israel to “immediately lift the blockade on the supply of relief materials to Gaza.” They called for an end to the “humanitarian catastrophe” in Gaza and demanded a ceasefire, emphasizing that Israel must “fulfill its obligations under international humanitarian law.” The statement declared that “denying essential humanitarian aid to civilians is unacceptable.”

UN Secretary-General António Guterres remarked that the international community’s inaction is leading to crimes against humanity that are beyond words. He stated, “I cannot find the words to describe the neglect and inactivity seen by so many parties, the lack of compassion, truth, and humanity.”

Addressing Amnesty International’s global conference, he noted that since May 27, when the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), supported by the US and Israel, took over relief distribution from the UN-led system, more than a thousand Palestinians have died while searching for food.