Famine in Gaza imminent unless immediate action taken: UN WFP
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New Delhi: The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that if quick action is not taken, the growing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza might soon turn into famine.
According to the World Food Program, the absence of food and other essential humanitarian supplies as winter draws near could have catastrophic consequences.
A controversial bill was recently approved by Israeli lawmakers, which would prohibit the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) from conducting its operations within Israel beginning the following year. The primary source of humanitarian assistance in the Gaza Strip is the UNRWA. This has also alarmed WFP, which has referred to the UNRWA as a "central component."
According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification's expert hunger findings, which were released in October, over 90% of Gaza's population is expected to experience severe food insecurity by November. The World Food Program stated in its statement on October 29 that a sizable portion of them may confront emergency hunger, while others may experience "catastrophic" food insecurity, the highest level of hunger, the Wire reported.
Unless conditions on the ground improve, the likelihood of a bigger number experiencing starvation will undoubtedly increase as the situation in northern Gaza worsens. Only 5,000 metric tonnes of food were sent to Gaza in October, which the World Food Program acknowledged was only one-fifth of the basic food aid needed by the 1.1 million Palestinians who rely on its life-saving assistance.
WFP says that its stocks will only last for four months. All means of producing and obtaining food within Gaza have been eliminated due to the destruction of industry, croplands, and stores, which has left markets deserted.
The UN food agency has also appealed for more functional and safe entrance crossings into Gaza from locations where its supplies are stored, such as Ashdod, Egypt and Jordan in order to efficiently carry out significant operations and provide vital food aid.