Nearly Half a Million Gazans Facing Catastrophic Levels of Food Insecurity – UN Draft Report
Sputnik International
Israel’s military assault on Gaza has not only destroyed large portions of Gazan farmland, but Israeli forces have also repeatedly blocked aid deliveries into northern Gaza, despite demands from top UN court and the Security Council to allow for open aid access, UN News said in April.
One in five of Gaza’s population, nearly 500,000 people, are facing “catastrophic levels of acute food insecurity” as reported by The Guardian. The United Nations Integrated Food Security Phase Classification indicated a high risk of famine persisting across Gaza due to renewed hostilities.
Children in Gaza are suffering from extreme lack of food and malnutrition, with one baby named Majd experiencing significant weight loss. UNICEF reports that one in three children in northern Gaza are acutely malnourished or emaciated.
Despite efforts to increase food deliveries, reports suggest that households in Gaza are trading clothing for food, highlighting the dire situation. The International Criminal Court has accused Israeli leaders of using starvation as a warfare method.