‘Looming Catastrophe’: Experts Warn Of High Risk Of Famine In Northern Gaza

Tuesday, 26 November 2024, 11:13 pm
Press Release: UN News

08 November

The warning comes in an alert issued by
the Integrated Phase Classification (IPC) Famine Review
Committee (FRC), which underscored that the humanitarian
situation in the enclave is extremely grave and rapidly
deteriorating.

“Immediate action, within
days not weeks, is required from all actors who are directly
taking part in the conflict, or who have influence
on its conduct, to avert and alleviate this catastrophic
situation,” it said.

‘The unacceptable is
confirmed’

Commenting on the alert, the head of the
World Food Programme (WFP) stated that
“the unacceptable is confirmed.”

Cindy McCain stressed
in a post on X that “immediate steps MUST BE TAKEN to
allow safe, rapid and unimpeded flow of humanitarian and
commercial supplies to prevent an all-out catastrophe.
NOW.”

Speaking earlier to UN News, WFP’s
Director of Food Security and Nutrition Analysis,
Jean-Martin Bauer, said the situation was the result of
large-scale population displacement, the reduction of
commercial and humanitarian inflows into the Gaza Strip, and
the destruction of infrastructure and health
facilities.

There has been“a drastic
reduction in the number of trucks entering Gaza,”
he said.

“In late October, we were down to 58 trucks
a day, compared to about 200 during the summer and most of
the trucks that did come in…were bringing humanitarian
assistance.”

Food costs
rising

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Furthermore, as a result of the reduced
inflows food prices have risen in the north, essentially
doubling in recent weeks.

“They’re now about
10 times higher than they were before the conflict occurred.
So, this alert is a reminder that the eyes of the world need
to be on Gaza and that action is needed now,” he
said.

Avert ‘humanitarian catastrophe’

The
FRC called for “immediate action by all stakeholders with
potential influence to reverse this humanitarian
catastrophe.”

The Committee particularly urged all
parties directly taking part in the conflict, or who have
influence, to immediately allow food, water, medical and
nutritional supplies, and other essential items, to enter
Gaza.

Other recommendations include ending the Israeli
siege in northern areas, as well as attacks on health
facilities and other civilian infrastructure, and allowing
health facilities to be re-supplied and health workers to be
released from detention.

“Failure to respond to
these calls within the next few days will result in a
further deterioration of the humanitarian situation
and additional, avoidable, civilian
deaths,” 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.”

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