Gaza Nears Famine Crisis: UN Relief Chief Issues Stark Warning
In a dire announcement, UN emergency relief chief Martin Griffiths has declared that Gaza is on the brink of famine, experiencing the "highest levels of food insecurity ever recorded." The situation in the region is described as a "place of death and despair," with tens of thousands reported dead, attacks on medical facilities, and a shortage of functioning hospitals.
Unfolding Crisis: Gaza's Descent into Uninhabitability
Griffiths, the UN's Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, paints a grim picture of Gaza, stating that hope is now more elusive than ever. The region is grappling with a public health disaster, where infectious diseases are spreading in overcrowded shelters, and the sanitation infrastructure is failing. The statement highlights the dire conditions, with approximately 180 Palestinian women giving birth daily amid the chaos.
"Gaza has simply become uninhabitable. Its people are witnessing daily threats to their very existence – while the world watches on," warns Griffiths in the statement issued by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
Human Toll and Displacement: The Ongoing Consequences of War
Since Israel's war on Hamas in Gaza, tens of thousands of Palestinians have lost their lives, and up to 1.9 million people have been displaced. The conflict, triggered by Hamas' actions, has led to a devastating toll on the civilian population. Griffiths emphasizes that rocket attacks on Israel persist, hostages remain in Gaza, and tensions in the West Bank are escalating, heightening the risk of further regional spillover.
Child Malnutrition and Escalating Famine Conditions
UNICEF underscores the high risk of severe malnutrition for young children as famine conditions intensify. Survivors in Gaza's southern city of Rafah reveal that basic necessities like fruits and vegetables have become unaffordable.
A Plea for International Action: Urgent Call to End the War
Griffiths urgently calls on all parties involved to meet their obligations under international law, emphasizing the protection of civilians and addressing essential needs. He stresses the immediate release of all hostages and calls on the international community to leverage its influence to bring about change.
"We continue to demand an immediate end to the war, not just for the people of Gaza and its threatened neighbours, but for the generations to come who will never forget these 90 days of hell and assaults on the most basic precepts of humanity," insists Griffiths. "This war should never have started. It's long past time for it to end."