Famine Crisis Looms In Gaza As Hunger Levels Soar

Palestinian children carry pots as they queue to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen, in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip

A recent UN-backed report has highlighted the dire situation in northern Gaza, where 70% of the population is facing catastrophic levels of hunger. The report warns that famine is imminent, with half of the population on the brink of starvation. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) projects that famine could hit the north of Gaza between mid-March and May 2024.

Acute hunger and malnutrition have already surpassed the threshold for famine in northern Gaza, leading to a significant increase in deaths and malnutrition. The situation has been described as the highest number of people facing catastrophic hunger ever recorded by the IPC.

Tragically, at least 25 people, including children and babies, have died from starvation and dehydration in the north. The crisis is exacerbated by the lack of access to food, with people resorting to desperate measures such as eating grass and animal feed, and drinking polluted water.

Famine projected between mid-March and May 2024.

70% of northern Gaza faces catastrophic hunger.

At least 25 people, including children, have died from starvation.

The report attributes the crisis to Israel's restrictions on aid and the widespread destruction in Gaza. The European Union's top diplomat has accused Israel of using 'starvation as a weapon of war,' emphasizing that the famine is entirely man-made and preventable.

The World Food Programme estimates that at least 300 trucks are needed daily to distribute food in Gaza, but access has been severely limited. Aid agencies stress the urgent need for a ceasefire to facilitate a massive relief operation and prevent further deaths.

The situation is particularly dire in the northern Gaza governates, where one in three children under the age of 2 are acutely malnourished. The report warns that without immediate intervention, the crisis could escalate, leading to catastrophic conditions for half of Gaza's population.

Efforts to address the hunger crisis are hindered by Israel's plans for a ground offensive in Rafah, which could exacerbate the situation. International concern is mounting over the potential impact on civilians and the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

US President Joe Biden has expressed deep concerns over the situation in Rafah and emphasized the need to protect Palestinian civilians and ensure the flow of humanitarian assistance. The lack of a clear plan from Israel on safeguarding civilians in Rafah has raised further alarm.