A new report issued by the United Nations has raised alarm bells about the looming threat of famine in northern Gaza, where a shocking 70% of the population is already experiencing catastrophic levels of hunger. The dire situation has left all 2.2 million residents of Gaza without enough food to eat, with half of them teetering on the edge of starvation.
According to the report, famine is expected to strike the northern region sometime between mid-March and May of 2024. Tragically, at least 25 individuals, including children and babies, have already succumbed to starvation and dehydration in the north.
The crisis has been labeled as “entirely man-made,” with Israel being blamed for exacerbating the situation by impeding aid and carrying out widespread destruction in Gaza. The European Union’s top diplomat has gone so far as to accuse Israel of using “starvation as a weapon of war.”
Israel’s actions have prevented much-needed humanitarian assistance from reaching Gaza, resulting in thousands of deaths and a rapid increase in hunger and malnutrition. Shockingly, one-third of children under the age of two in Gaza are currently classified as “acutely malnourished.”
The report warns of a worst-case scenario in which half of Gaza’s population could face catastrophic conditions due to a ground offensive in the city of Rafah. This grim outcome could be averted if aid organizations are granted unrestricted access to Gaza to provide essential supplies such as food, water, and medical aid.
In response to the escalating crisis, US President Joe Biden has voiced serious concerns about the planned ground offensive in Rafah, fearing its devastating impact on Palestinian civilians and the impeded flow of humanitarian relief. The international community must urgently address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza to prevent further suffering and loss of life.
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