UNICEF's regional director for West Asia and North Africa, Adele Khodr, has issued a stark warning regarding an impending famine in Gaza, emphasizing the urgent need for Israel to facilitate aid operations by opening all border crossings.
Khodr's plea comes in response to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report, which predicts an imminent famine in northern Gaza. The report, compiled by organizations including the World Food Programme and the World Health Organization, highlights the dire situation faced by 1.1 million people in Gaza who experience catastrophic food insecurity.
According to the IPC findings, households across Gaza are struggling to obtain adequate nutrition, with many resorting to skipping meals entirely. In northern Gaza, two-thirds of households have gone without food for entire days and nights on multiple occasions in the past month.
The severity of the crisis has drawn condemnation from international figures, including USAID administrator Samantha Power and UN relief coordinator Martin Griffiths. Power describes the situation as a tragic milestone, while Griffiths laments the failure of the international community to prevent the looming famine.
Philippe Lazzarini, head of UNRWA, expresses dismay over his refusal of entry into Gaza, where he intended to enhance humanitarian efforts. He denounces the man-made starvation as a stain on humanity and calls for immediate action to avert famine through the opening of all land crossings.
The dire situation in Gaza has also drawn criticism from Jeremy Konyndyk of Refugees International, who condemns Israel's deliberate obstruction of humanitarian aid as a violation of international law. He warns that the famine is already beginning and urges swift action to prevent further escalation of the crisis.
