Prediction of grave food scarcity looms over Gaza, according to WHO's warning
The Gaza Strip is grappling with a dire and escalating humanitarian crisis, with malnutrition and hunger reaching catastrophic levels, according to various United Nations agencies and humanitarian organisations.
Approximately one third of Gaza's population, roughly 2.1 million people, are reportedly going multiple days without food, and a quarter of the population is facing conditions similar to famine, according to the World Food Programme (WFP). The WFP also reports that urgent medical treatment is needed for nearly 100,000 women and children suffering from severe acute malnutrition.
The situation is so severe that people are dying daily due to the lack of humanitarian aid, with the WFP warning that the crisis is intensifying day by day. The organization has sufficient food stocks ready outside Gaza to supply the population for two months, but deliveries depend on a ceasefire and safe passage for aid convoys.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and other humanitarian agencies confirm that malnutrition in Gaza has reached catastrophic levels due to ongoing conflict and strict disruptions to humanitarian access. The Palestine Red Crescent and medical teams are overwhelmed, with health services collapsing under the strain of rising malnutrition, scarce clean water, and collapsing infrastructure.
UNICEF highlights the particular vulnerability of Gaza's children, with around 1 million children enduring severe food insecurity and acute malnutrition. Thousands of children under the age of five have died from malnutrition since the beginning of the year, according to WHO documentation.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) states that more than 600 to 650 trucks with aid are needed daily to meet the most basic needs. However, residents report violence and chaos in the distribution of aid packages in Gaza, and food in the markets is overpriced, making people dependent on aid deliveries.
More than 100 international aid organizations have called for access to the people in need in the Gaza Strip, citing tons of unused food, clean water, medical supplies, shelters, and fuels. Between mid-May to mid-July, more than 1,600 trucks with UN aid were approved but could not be distributed due to insufficient numbers.
The Israeli government denies the presence of a "famine" in Gaza but acknowledges hunger. They blame Hamas for preventing the distribution of aid and seizing aid trucks. The health authority controlled by Hamas in the Gaza Strip reported that ten people had died in the past 24 hours due to hunger.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO chief, stated that 2.1 million people in Gaza are facing starvation, while Ross Smith, Director of Emergency Operations at WFP, stated that people are dying daily due to the lack of humanitarian aid and the situation is worsening. The Israeli government reports that between July 19 and 22, more than 4,400 trucks with aid had entered the Gaza Strip.
In response to the crisis, thousands marched in Tel Aviv to protest the Gaza war, displaying photos of children from the Gaza Strip who are said to have died from hunger-related causes and carrying bags of flour to highlight the dire situation.
In summary, reports from WHO, WFP, and other UN agencies depict Gaza as facing a catastrophic hunger and malnutrition crisis affecting hundreds of thousands, including children, with daily deaths occurring from starvation and acute malnutrition. Immediate, sustained, and safe humanitarian access is critical to prevent further loss of life.
- The dire humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip has also raised concerns in the realm of mental health, with the prolonged hardship taking a toll on the population's psyche.
- Amidst the tumultuous situation, the discussion on general news and politics remains centred around the growing humanitarian crisis and international efforts to alleviate it.
- The rising malnutrition and hunger in Gaza have brought into sharp focus the importance of nutrition in health-and-wellness, particularly for children, as they grapple with severe food insecurity.
- In the face of this catastrophic situation, fitness-and-exercise seems a distant luxury, with the immediate focus purely on obtaining food and basic necessities for survival.
- The ongoing war-and-conflicts in the Gaza Strip have led to drastic increases in crime-and-justice, with reports of looting and violence in the distribution of aid packages, further compounding the humanitarian crisis.
