UNRWA Chief: Emerging famine in Gaza a 'man-made disaster'
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The Secretary-General of UNRWA reveals that the last time the agency was able to deliver food aid to northern Gaza was on January 23, more than one month ago.
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The Commissioner-General of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, Philippe Lazzarini, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press at the UNRWA headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, December 6, 2023. (AP)
The UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees' Chief, Philippe Lazzarini, stated yesterday that famine in the Gaza Strip can be prevented if vital aid is allowed into the besieged territory.
In a statement on X, he stated "This is a man-made disaster," referring to the horrible dangerous conditions Gaza is living through due to the Israeli genocide against it.
"The world committed to never let famine happen again," he added, then urged "Famine can still be avoided through genuine political will to grant access and protection to meaningful assistance."
Aid agencies have continuously expressed concern over the fate of Palestinians in Gaza being deprived of their basic needs, as the Israeli occupation forces continue to blockade Gaza, as well as attack anyone attempting to get aid or distribute it.
Last food aid delivered to North more than 1 month ago
The UN has warned of an upcoming famine endangering everyone in Gaza, while the World Food Program this week described "unprecedented levels of desperation".
Lazzarini revealed that the last time the agency was able to deliver food aid to northern Gaza was on January 23, more than one month ago.
The last time @UNRWA was able to deliver food aid to northern #Gaza was on 23 January.
— Philippe Lazzarini (@UNLazzarini) February 25, 2024
Since then, together with other @UN agencies, we have:
🛑 Warned against looming famine.
🛑 Appealed for regular humanitarian access.
🛑 Stated that famine can be averted if more food…
The UN humanitarian agency OCHA stressed that the situation in the north of Gaza was "extremely critical" also expressing alarm over the terrible conditions in the south.
Palestinians in Gaza also informed AFP they are having to eat rotten corn and animal feed unfit for humans, but even that is now running out.
29,692 Palestinians were martyred most of whom were women and children
The spokesperson for the Ministry of Health in Gaza, Ashraf al-Qudra, said yesterday that the Israeli occupation committed seven massacres against Palestinian families in the Gaza Strip, killing 86 and injuring 131 others, since the last toll was announced on Saturday.
This has raised the number of martyrs to 29,692 Palestinians, while the number of wounded has risen to 69,879 since the Israeli occupation launched its war on Gaza on October 7, 2023.
The Israeli occupation forces and Israeli settlers stop aid to Gaza
The Palestinian Red Crescent reported on February 14 that aid had continued to be obstructed by Israeli occupation forces for a week, detailing that the IOF is obstructing the inspection of trucks at the Al-Awja crossing.
Israeli settlers have also protested and closed roads, blocking humanitarian trucks entering Gaza.
UNRWA reported on February 10 that "Israel" blocked a food shipment meant for 1.1 million people in Gaza.
Israeli Finance Minister and the leader of the Religious Zionism Party, Bezalel Smotrich, prevented a shipment of US-funded flour to Gaza, under the pretext that the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) is the recipient, Axios reported, citing two Israeli and US officials.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich obstructed the transfer, instructing the Israeli customs service not to release the shipment as long as UNRWA was the recipient.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) stated on January 16 that the occupation has been denying access to aid missions delivering medicine and fuel to the northern part of the Gaza Strip.
In the first two weeks of January, according to OCHA, only 24% of planned aid missions delivering basic human needs from food, medicine, and water were able to enter Gaza.
In addition, around 95% of missions involving the allocation of fuel and medicines to water reservoirs were stopped and denied access to enter by the occupation. Out of the latter, five missions were to aid the Central Drug Store, four to Jabalia Medical Center, and eight to aid four critical reservoirs and water and waste pumps.
