UN Raises Urgent Alarm: Accuses Israel of blocking Aid while Gaza is on the brink of Famine
A senior UN official on Sunday accused Israel of persistently obstructing humanitarian access in the Gaza Strip, where the head of the UN’s food agency warned of an alarming food crisis affecting the northern region of the densely populated enclave of 2.3 million people.
While stopping short of formally declaring a famine, Cindy McCain, the Executive Director of the World Food Programme, conveyed in an interview aired on Sunday that, judging by the dire conditions on the ground, “There is famine, full-blown famine, in the north, and it’s moving its way south.“
Israel’s government did not immediately respond to McCain’s statements.
Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), also accused Israel of impeding UN aid efforts in Gaza to prevent a famine. Lazzarini highlighted a series of incidents over the past two weeks, including shootings at aid convoys, arrests of UN staff, intimidation tactics, and lengthy delays at checkpoints, forcing aid convoys to travel during nighttime or cancel missions.
Lazzarini further urged Hamas and other armed groups to cease attacks on humanitarian crossings, prevent aid diversion, and ensure the equitable distribution of assistance. On Sunday, militants claimed responsibility for an attack that disrupted operations at the leading humanitarian aid crossing into Gaza.
A report commissioned by the UN in March warned of an imminent famine in northern Gaza, projected to escalate across the enclave by July. Famine is defined as at least 20% of the population suffering from severe food shortages, with a third of children experiencing acute malnutrition and two individuals out of every 10,000 succumbing daily to starvation or malnutrition-related diseases.
UN officials emphasize that it is often too late to save many lives when a famine is officially declared. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres recently lamented that the most vulnerable populations in northern Gaza “are already succumbing to hunger and disease.”
Throughout the seven-month conflict between Israel and Palestinian militants, Hamas, in Gaza, the UN has consistently raised concerns about limited humanitarian access. Guterres has underscored the UN’s efforts to prevent an artificial famine in northern Gaza.
Israel attributes its military operations in Gaza to retaliate against Hamas following an October 7 stand taken by Hamas against the ongoing Israel offensive. Gaza health authorities report more than 34,600 deaths attributed to Israeli actions since that incident.
Despite Israel’s withdrawal of soldiers and settlers from Gaza in 2005, Hamas’s governance of the territory since 2006, Gaza remains designated as Israeli-occupied territory by the United Nations. As the occupying power, Israel is obligated to ensure the delivery of food and medical aid to the population and facilitate the work of humanitarian organizations, as outlined by the UN human rights chief.
As the situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, the international community faces mounting pressure to address the unfolding humanitarian crisis. The UN’s repeated calls for unhindered humanitarian access and urgent assistance underscore the gravity of the situation. With lives hanging in the balance and the specter of famine looming large, concerted diplomatic efforts are imperative to ensure the delivery of aid and alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian population in Gaza. Moreover, there is a pressing need for sustained dialogue and negotiations to address the root causes of the conflict and pave the way for lasting peace and stability in the region.
