(MENAFN- Nam News Network) RAMALLAH, Mac 18 (NNN-XINHUA) – The Palestinian Ministry of National Economy, condemned Israel for using starvation as a weapon, in its war in the Gaza Strip for more than five months.

“The right to access food and medicine as guaranteed by international laws has no value to the Israeli regime, in light of the international community's failure to fulfill its legal and moral responsibilities, in delivering humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip,” the ministry said in a statement, on the occasion of the World Consumer Rights Day, observed annually on Mac 15.

It highlighted the sharp and unprecedented rise in the cost of living index in the Gaza Strip, as a result of the prolonged conflict, recording a staggering increase of 111 percent, since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas conflict on Oct 7, last year.

On Feb 27, United Nations officials alerted the Security Council to the imminent famine in the Gaza Strip, stressing the urgent need for action to prevent a humanitarian disaster in the Palestinian territory.

At least 576,000 people in Gaza, or about one-quarter of the population, are“one step away from famine”, said Ramesh Rajasingham, director of coordination at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.– NNN-XINHUA

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