Gaza – UN agencies warn that food indicators exceed the thresholds of famine

The warning sheds light on exceeding two of the three thresholds of starvation in parts of the Gaza Strip, with the World Food Program and the United Nations Children’s Food Charity (UNICEF) warning of the depletion of time to launch a comprehensive humanitarian response.

A joint press release issued by UN agencies stated that the ongoing conflict, the collapse of basic services and severe restrictions on the delivery and distribution of humanitarian aid imposed on the United Nations, all of this led to catastrophic conditions of food security for hundreds of thousands of people across the Gaza Strip.

Food consumptionIt is the first essential indicator of famine, which has decreased in Gaza since the latest update of the integrated classification of food security stages in May. The data shows that more than one of every 3 people (i.e. 39% of the population) do not eat for a continuous days.

More than 500,000 people, about a quarter of Gaza’s population, face famine -like conditions, while the rest of the population suffers from emergency hunger levels.

Acute malnutritionIt is the second indicator of famine, which rose inside Gaza at an unprecedented rate. The levels of malnutrition among children under the age of five in Gaza City increased by 4 times in two months to 16.5%. This indicates a serious deterioration in the nutritional situation and a sharp increase in the risk of death as a result of hunger and malnutrition.

And increases the prevalence Acute malnutrition and death reports as a result of hungerThe third indicator of famine, but collecting accurate data under the current circumstances in Gaza is still difficult, while the health systems destroyed by the conflict collapses.

Unbearable suffering under the eyes of the world

Cindy McCain, Executive Director of the World Food Program, said that the incredible suffering of Gaza residents is already evident to the world, and that waiting for an official confirmation of the occurrence of famine to provide life -saving food aid is unacceptable.

She stressed the need to enter a continuous flood of food aid to Gaza immediately and without obstacles every day to prevent collective hunger.

Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director, said that the lean children and infants were dying due to malnutrition in Gaza. She stressed the need to guarantee immediate and safe human access and without obstacle to Gaza to expand the delivery of life -saving aid from food, nutritional supplies, water and medicine.

Although the crossings are partly reopened, the aid that enters Gaza constitutes a small percentage of what the population, who number more than two million, needs.

Once the basic needs of food and nutritional assistance in Gaza, more than 62,000 tons of relief for life must be provided every month. United Nations agencies stressed the importance of resuming commercial imports to provide food diversity of fruits, vegetables, dairy products and proteins such as meat and fish.

The agencies welcomed the recent new obligations to improve the operational conditions of humanitarian organizations, including the application of humanity, and expressed hope that these measures would allow increased access to food and nutritional assistance to hunger without delay.

The United Nations agencies again called for an immediate and permanent endowment to stop the murder, allow the safe release of the hostages and to carry out humanitarian operations.

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