It's likely that northern Gaza will rapidly be hit by famine according to a warning from the United Nations. The UN reiterated a warning from a committee of global food security experts on Friday who says the humanitarian situation is "extremely grave".
There is a strong chance that famine is rapidly going to hit parts of the northern Gaza Strip, a committee of global food security experts warned on Friday (8 November), as Israel pursues a military offensive against Palestinian militant group Hamas in the area.
Stephanie Tremblay, Associate Spokesperson for the United Nations Secretary-General, repeated the alert from the committee to reporters at the U.N. as part of a daily briefing.
Tremblay said the report says that the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, "is extremely grave and rapidly deteriorating."
"They're calling for immediate action within days, not weeks. And this action is required from all who are directly taking part in the conflict or who have influence on its conduct to avert and to alleviate this catastrophic situation," she added.
The warning comes just days ahead of a U.S. deadline for Israel to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza or face potential restrictions on U.S. military aid.
Israel's mission to the United Nations in New York did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Famine Review Committee said that it could be "assumed that starvation, malnutrition, and excess mortality due to malnutrition and disease, are rapidly increasing" in north Gaza.
"Famine thresholds may have already been crossed or else will be in the near future," it said.
"If no effective action is taken by stakeholders with influence, the scale of this looming catastrophe is likely to dwarf anything we have seen so far in the Gaza Strip since 7 October 2023," the FRC committee said.
The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs estimates that there are between 75,000 and 95,000 people still in northern Gaza.
Israel began a wide military push in northern Gaza last month. The United States has said it is watching to ensure that its ally's actions on the ground show it does not have a "policy of starvation" in the north.
The Famine Review Committee reviews findings by the global hunger monitor - an internationally recognised standard known as the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).
The IPC defines famine as when at least 20% of people in an area are suffering extreme food shortages, with at least 30% of children acutely malnourished and two people out of every 10,000 dying daily from starvation or malnutrition and disease.
The IPC is an initiative involving U.N. agencies, national governments and aid groups that sets the global standard on measuring food crises.
The IPC warned last month that the entire Gaza Strip was at risk of famine, while top U.N. officials last week described the northern Gaza Strip as "apocalyptic" and everyone there was "at imminent risk of dying from disease, famine and violence."
The amount of aid entering Gaza has plummeted to its lowest level in a year, according to U.N. data, and the U.N. has repeatedly accused Israel of hindering and blocking attempts to deliver aid, particularly to Gaza's north.
Israel's U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon last month told the Security Council that the issue in Gaza was not a lack of aid, saying more than a million tons had been delivered during the past year. He accused Hamas of hijacking the assistance.
Hamas has repeatedly denied Israeli allegations that it was stealing aid and says Israel is to blame for shortages.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for 28th June, covering the latest developments you need to know.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has condemned a US-supported aid operation in Gaza, calling it “inherently unsafe” and blaming it for civilian deaths.
An explosive device detonated on an armoured combat-engineering vehicle in Khan Younis in Gaza, killing seven Israeli soldiers and seriously wounding another soldier on Tuesday (24 June).
The U.S. has funded a private Gaza aid group despite safety concerns and the use of military-linked firms.
Thousands rallied in Athens to call for the opening of the Rafah border crossing and the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Azerbaijan has summoned Russia’s envoy in Baku to protest the deadly raids targeting Azerbaijani nationals in Yekaterinburg, demanding a full investigation and accountability.
Iran has barred the UN nuclear watchdog’s chief from entering the country and suspended camera installations at its nuclear facilities, escalating tensions over transparency following recent military clashes.
U.S. Senate Republicans are pushing forward with President Donald Trump’s major tax-and-spending bill, aiming to begin debate this weekend on a sweeping measure that could reshape fiscal policy and deepen the national debt.
Iranian military leaders have issued harsh warnings against the U.S. following President Donald Trump’s threats, vowing a more forceful retaliation if Iran’s interests are attacked again.
A deadly car bombing struck a Pakistani military convoy near the Afghan border on Saturday, killing at least 13 soldiers and injuring several others, according to local sources.
Iran launched 18 ballistic missiles late Sunday targeting the U.S. military’s Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest American installation in the Middle East.
The U.S. economy faces a 40% risk of recession in the second half of 2025, JP Morgan analysts said on Wednesday, citing rising tariffs and stagflation concerns.
Severe rain in Venezuela has caused rivers to overflow and triggered landslides, sweeping away homes and collapsing a highway bridge, with five states affected and no casualties reported so far.
The U.S. Embassy in Qatar has advised American citizens to shelter in place amid rising tensions between Israel and Iran, as part of a broader global security alert issued by Washington.
In a televised address on Saturday night, U.S. President Donald J. Trump announced that American forces, in coordination with Israel, had conducted precision strikes on Iran’s Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear sites, aiming to dismantle Tehran’s enrichment capabilities.
U.S. Senate Republicans are pushing forward with President Donald Trump’s major tax-and-spending bill, aiming to begin debate this weekend on a sweeping measure that could reshape fiscal policy and deepen the national debt.
Iranian military leaders have issued harsh warnings against the U.S. following President Donald Trump’s threats, vowing a more forceful retaliation if Iran’s interests are attacked again.
A deadly car bombing struck a Pakistani military convoy near the Afghan border on Saturday, killing at least 13 soldiers and injuring several others, according to local sources.
Polish President Andrzej Duda arrived in Kyiv on a farewell visit ahead of the end of his term on 6 August. He is expected to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his stay.
Azerbaijani media representatives have recently completed a visit to China to strengthen media relations between the two countries. This visit took place in Shanghai and Beijing, offering insights into the Chinese media sector. Here are the highlights from their trip.
Azerbaijan has summoned Russia’s envoy in Baku to protest the deadly raids targeting Azerbaijani nationals in Yekaterinburg, demanding a full investigation and accountability.
Iran has barred the UN nuclear watchdog’s chief from entering the country and suspended camera installations at its nuclear facilities, escalating tensions over transparency following recent military clashes.
U.S. Senate Republicans are pushing forward with President Donald Trump’s major tax-and-spending bill, aiming to begin debate this weekend on a sweeping measure that could reshape fiscal policy and deepen the national debt.
Iranian military leaders have issued harsh warnings against the U.S. following President Donald Trump’s threats, vowing a more forceful retaliation if Iran’s interests are attacked again.
A deadly car bombing struck a Pakistani military convoy near the Afghan border on Saturday, killing at least 13 soldiers and injuring several others, according to local sources.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment