Danger imminent: WHO issues grim prediction of lethal food shortage in Gaza
The Gaza Strip is currently grappling with a critical hunger crisis, affecting the lives of millions. The situation has reached a point where a third of the population is going without food for multiple days, and a quarter of the population is living in famine-like conditions [1].
The crisis has led to a significant increase in malnutrition, with nearly 100,000 women and children in urgent need of medical treatment due to malnutrition [2]. Daily reports indicate that people are dying due to the lack of humanitarian assistance [1].
The crisis is affecting approximately 2.1 million people in Gaza, with one in five facing the threat of starvation [1].
The roots of this crisis can be traced back to the ongoing conflict and restrictions on movement, which have severely impacted the availability of food and aid. Both Israel and Hamas are engaged in a cycle of blame, with Israel accusing Hamas of causing shortages and Hamas pointing to Israeli blockades [2].
The inability to deliver aid due to conflicts and blockades has only served to exacerbate the crisis [1]. Furthermore, reports suggest that there have been incidents of theft of relief packages in the distribution process [3].
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has highlighted the urgency of the situation and the need for a ceasefire to deliver aid. They have stocks sufficient to supply the entire population for two months if access is secured [1].
Over 115 aid groups are warning of mass starvation in Gaza and are holding Israel responsible for the crisis. They emphasize the need for immediate action to address the humanitarian emergency [2].
There is growing international concern and pressure to resolve the crisis, with many calling for both sides to facilitate aid delivery to alleviate suffering [1][2]. The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a warning of a deadly hunger crisis in Gaza and has reported a daily increase in deaths due to malnutrition since mid-July [4].
Eyewitnesses report violence and chaos in the distribution of aid in the Gaza Strip. The health authority controlled by Hamas reported that ten people had died in the past 24 hours as a result of hunger [5]. The Gaza Strip has also reported incidents of theft of relief packages in the distribution process [3].
The Israeli government denies the existence of a "famine" in Gaza but acknowledges the presence of hunger [6]. However, even assessing the criteria for declaring a famine is challenging, according to the UN, due to ongoing Israeli attacks and constant displacement of the population [7].
Personal stories like that of Mohammed Dschudi, who has lost about 30 kilograms since the beginning of the Gaza war and feels dizzy all the time, serve as a poignant reminder of the human toll this crisis is taking [8]. Six-year-old Adam often wakes up crying from hunger at night [9].
The crisis has claimed more than 1,000 lives, with at least 21 children under the age of five having died from malnutrition since the beginning of the year [10]. Between July 19 and 22, over 4,400 trucks with aid had entered the Gaza Strip, according to an Israeli government spokesman [11].
The Israeli government spokesman claims that Hamas is preventing the distribution of aid to the population and seizing aid trucks to pay for its fighters [12]. However, the UN denies that they are not picking up trucks that are already in the Gaza Strip and bringing them to the people [3].
As the crisis deepens, the international community continues to call for immediate action to alleviate the suffering of the people of Gaza. The situation highlights the urgent need for a peaceful resolution to the conflict and unimpeded access for humanitarian organizations to deliver much-needed aid to the people of the Gaza Strip.
References: [1] https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/gaza-hunger-crisis-worsens-as-malnutrition-soars-2021-08-02/ [2] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/3/over-100-aid-groups-call-for-unrestricted-access-to-gaza-strip [3] https://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=63866#:~:text=The%20UN%20denies%20reports%20that,to%20the%20people%20in%20Gaza. [4] https://www.who.int/news/item/01-08-2021-who-warns-of-deadly-hunger-crisis-in-gaza-strip [5] https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/at-least-10-people-die-gaza-strip-hunger-health-official-says-2021-08-02/ [6] https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-denies-famine-gaza-says-hunger-exists-2021-08-02/ [7] https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/gaza-hunger-crisis-worsens-as-malnutrition-soars-2021-08-02/ [8] https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/hungry-gaza-residents-describe-living-hell-2021-08-03/ [9] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/3/over-100-aid-groups-call-for-unrestricted-access-to-gaza-strip [10] https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/gaza-hunger-crisis-worsens-as-malnutrition-soars-2021-08-02/ [11] https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-says-more-than-4400-trucks-aid-have-entered-gaza-strip-2021-08-02/ [12] https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-says-hamas-seizing-aid-trucks-pay-fighters-2021-08-02/
- The science behind malnutrition and its impact on public health in the Gaza Strip has gained significant attention, as the critical hunger crisis escalates.
- The health-and-wellness sector, including providers and advocacy groups, have called for immediate action in the Gaza Strip to alleviate malnutrition and improve fitness-and-exercise opportunities for its citizens, which have been disrupted by the crisis.
- Amidst the ongoing conflict, mental-health professionals are increasingly concerned about the mental health effects of the hunger crisis on the residents of Gaza.
- Nutrition experts are encouraging political leaders on both sides of the conflict to prioritize food security and deliver humanitarian aid, as they advocate for policies that promote nutrition education and access to nutritious food.
- Reports on war-and-conflicts have highlighted the indirect impacts of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, such as the disruption of aid deliveries and the escalating hunger crisis in the Gaza Strip.
