Famine looming in northern Gaza, media bureau says
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The Gaza government media office warns that famine is looming in northern Gaza and might become a reality if aid is not allowed entry.
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Palestinians line up for free food in Rafah, Gaza Strip, February 23, 2024 (AP)
The nightmare of famine in the northern Gaza Strip will continue if aid is not delivered on a sustainable basis, Ismail Al-Thawabteh, the Director General of the Government Media Office in Gaza, warned on Wednesday.
Al-Thawabteh explained that the Gaza Strip needs aid to be delivered by land, air, and sea, adding that what is being delivered does not amount to 5% of the needs.
He also expressed deep sorrow for the deaths of martyrs as a result of the mistaken airdrop of aid, calling on the countries of the world to deliver it through the proper and correct channels.
Al-Thawabteh condemned the crime of closing the land crossings with Gaza, urging the international community to bypass the measures imposed by the occupation in order to impose its will on the Rafah crossing.
Al-Thawabteh also pointed out that the Ministry of Interior in the Gaza Strip was "fighting to strengthen the internal front, and it is carrying out its duties honorably," despite the continuous Israeli targeting of police cars, stations, and personnel.
These statements come as the occupation continues its war on Gaza, which has been ongoing for 173 days, striking all aspects of life and deliberately practicing starvation against the people of the Gaza Strip amid a suffocating siege exacerbated by the closure of land crossings and the prohibition on the entry of aid.
UN says famine to spread to north
A UN-endorsed report released earlier in the month warned that famine is expected to spread in the northern region of the Gaza Strip any time between now and May.
This dire prediction follows over five months of Israeli aggression that has devastated the Palestinian territory, resulting in thousands of casualties and severe disruptions to supply chains.
The report, conducted by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), reveals that across the entirety of the besieged enclave, approximately 1.1 million individuals, equivalent to half of the population, are now confronting "catastrophic hunger".
"Famine is now projected and imminent in the North Gaza and Gaza Governorates and is expected to become manifest during the projection period from mid-March 2024 to May 2024," it said.
