United Nations-backs report that warned of northern Gaza being on brink of famine
Date
11/10/2024 6:41:45 AM
(MENAFN) A United Nations-backed report has warned that northern Gaza is on the brink of famine, exacerbated by intensified airstrikes, ongoing clashes, and the near-complete halt of food assistance. The situation has dramatically worsened over the past year, with rising Palestinian casualties and the collapse of essential services due to Israel's continued aggression. Hussam Abu Safiya, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, reported that many wounded Palestinians in Beit Lahia are dying due to a critical shortage of medical supplies and healthcare professionals, a direct consequence of the ongoing conflict.
The Famine Review Committee has assessed that famine is "imminent and significant," with conditions rapidly deteriorating. It projects that 345,000 people—about 16 percent of Gaza's population—will face severe food insecurity by early 2025, a situation classified as "Stage 5" on the famine scale, marked by widespread malnutrition, death, and extreme hunger. Since the report, northern Gaza's conditions have worsened further, with food assistance severely limited, sanitation services disrupted, and rising mortality due to malnutrition and disease.
Since October 6, Israeli forces have escalated air and ground attacks on northern Gaza, including areas like Jabalia, Beit Lahia, and Beit Hanoun, under the pretext of targeting Hamas fighters. Meanwhile, food access has become increasingly scarce, with black market prices soaring—cooking gas prices have surged by over 2,600 percent, diesel by 1,315 percent, and firewood by 250 percent.
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