Israel accused of using starvation as 'weapon of war' in Gaza
Palestinians flee the area after Israeli bombardment in central Gaza City on March 18, 2024, amid the ongoing battles between Israel and the militant group Hamas. Picture: AFP via Getty Images
Israel has been accused of using starvation as a "weapon of war" as food shortages reach famine levels and mass deaths now "imminent" without an immediate ceasefire.
As the head of the UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) is refused access to witness the devastation on the ground, the UN food agency has warned that “famine is imminent” in northern Gaza, where an estimated 70% of the population faces catastrophic hunger.
Meanwhile, the EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell hit out at Benjamin Netanyahu's government by stating that Gaza was "the greatest open-air prison" before Israel's bombardment but now it is "the greatest open-air graveyard".
"A graveyard for tens of thousands of people, and also a graveyard for many of the most important principles of humanitarian law," he said.
"In Gaza we are no longer on the brink of famine, we are in a state of famine, affecting thousands of people," Mr Borrell said.
He described starvation as a "weapon of war" being used by Israel.
Reacting, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said Mr Borrell should "stop attacking Israel and recognise our right to self-defence against Hamas' crimes".
Israel allows extensive humanitarian aid into Gaza by land, air, and sea for anyone willing to help. Despite Hamas violently disrupting aid convoys and @UNRWA's collaboration with them, we persist. It's time for EU Foreign Minister @JosepBorrellF to stop attacking Israel and…
— ישראל כ”ץ Israel Katz (@Israel_katz) March 18, 2024
The comments came as UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini claimed he had been refused permission by Israeli authorities to enter Rafah.
Mr Lazzarini warned that children are now dying of dehydration and hunger adding that his planned visit was intended to coordinate and improve the humanitarian response.
Calling for the opening of all land crossings into the strip, he said: "This man-made starvation under our watch is a stain on our collective humanity."
The World Food Programme yesterday released the latest findings of its Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, or IPC, an international process for estimating the scale of hunger crises.
It says virtually everyone in Gaza is struggling to get enough food, and around 210,000 people in northern Gaza are in Phase 5, the highest, which refers to catastrophic hunger.
Mr Lazzarini said two million people are now facing "crisis levels of food insecurity or worse" and half the population has completely exhausted food supplies and coping capacities.
"They are struggling with catastrophic hunger (IPC Phase 5) and starvation. This is the highest number of people ever recorded as facing catastrophic hunger by the IPC system and double the number just three months ago," he said.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the IPC report an "appalling indictment" and said Israel must allow complete and unfettered access to all parts of Gaza.
"This is an entirely manmade disaster — and the report makes clear that it can be halted."
Israel has said it is opening more routes by land, as well as allowing sea shipments and air drops. But aid agencies say they still cannot get enough supplies through or distribute them safely, especially in the north.
It comes as Israeli forces launched another raid on the Gaza Strip’s largest hospital on Monday, saying Hamas militants had regrouped there and had fired on them from inside the site where Palestinian officials say tens of thousands of people have been sheltering.
More than 31,000 people, including 13,000 children, have now been killed in Gaza in the wake of the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on October 7.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
