Gaza is bordering on starvation, UN organizations cautioned on Tuesday, as the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory verified the death toll from Israel’s practically 22-month-long military action had exceeded 60,000.
Urging, “time is running out” to prevent a disaster, the World Food Programme (WFP), UNICEF, and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) released an emergency appeal. “We must immediately and unhindered flood Gaza with large-scale food assistance and keep it flowing every single day to avoid mass famine,” WFP chief Cindy McCain said.
The warnings came despite Israel opening specially marked aid paths into the besieged enclave and starting daily “tactical pauses” in military operations. On Monday, Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) claimed over 200 truckloads of supplies entered Gaza; further airdrops from Jordan and the UAE were also present.
Still, humanitarian organizations claim these actions fall short. A UN-backed organization, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification Initiative (IPC), stopped short of officially declaring famine but said “the worst-case scenario is now unfolding” and urged “immediate, unimpeded” humanitarian access.
Gaza’s circumstances are still bad. Overnight Israeli air raids on the Nuseirat refugee camp claimed 30 lives, including women and children, according to the Gaza civil defense agency. The Israeli military verified it had focused on “terror infrastructure” in the area but refuted casualty counts.
The full reestablishment of Israel’s blockade on March 2 following the failure of truce discussions has greatly limited humanitarian aid. Although some assistance started back in late May, the IPC claimed the amount fell well short. It noted at least 16 kids under five who had starved since July 17.
Defending its actions, Israel blamed Hamas for “looting” relief intended for civilians. According to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, “significant amounts” of food, water, and medicine were entering Gaza daily, but Hamas was accused of deliberately worsening conditions to elicit world sympathy.
The increasing crisis has intensified diplomatic pressure on Israel. Britain stated on Tuesday it will join France in considering recognition of a Palestinian state as early as September. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the decision was intended to safeguard the viability of a two-state solution, therefore warning that it was “now under threat.” Israel’s foreign ministry called the move “a reward for Hamas” that would “harm efforts to achieve a ceasefire.”
UN officials have cautioned that “failure to act now will result in widespread death in much of the Strip,” as aid convoys fight to get to Gaza’s 2.3 million residents. The ongoing war brought on by Hamas’s October 2023 raids on Israel, which claimed 1,219 lives, has already displaced almost all of the population and caused Gaza to become what observers are terming one of the worst humanitarian catastrophes of the century.
