famine

In Gaza, starving children fill hospital wards as famine looms

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In Gaza, starving children fill hospital wards as famine looms

Six-year-old Fadi al-Zant from Gaza is acutely malnourished, unable to walk, and suffers from cystic fibrosis. His health has deteriorated since the conflict began, as his medication is no longer available and his diet has been severely restricted. The Kamal Adwan hospital, where Fadi is being treated, has seen most of the 27 children who have died from malnutrition and dehydration recently. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) warns that famine is imminent in northern Gaza, affecting over two-thirds of the people there. Despite Israel’s claims of not limiting aid, shortages of food, medicines, and clean water persist. Fadi’s condition worsened about two months ago, with his weight dropping from 30kg to 12kg. The U.N. children’s agency UNICEF reports nearly 1 in 3 children under two in northern Gaza suffer from acute malnutrition. Human Rights Watch accuses Israel of obstructing the provision of basic services and lifesaving aid, which Israel denies. Conditions in Gaza have been exacerbated by disease, with a significant increase in diarrhoea cases among children under 5, further hastening malnutrition.

Washington makes new push for Gaza ceasefire to head off famine, Rafah assault

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Washington makes new push for Gaza ceasefire to head off famine, Rafah assault

– The United States is pushing for a ceasefire in Gaza to prevent a famine and is urging Israel not to launch a ground assault on Rafah, where over a million displaced people are taking refuge.
– Secretary of State Antony Blinken is planning a trip to the Middle East to meet leaders of Egypt and Saudi Arabia to discuss peace, but no visit to Israel has been announced.
– Israeli air strikes in Rafah killed 14 people, and Gaza’s food shortages have surpassed famine levels according to the international hunger monitor.
– Israel denies causing Gaza’s hunger, claiming it is opening new routes for aid and that U.N. and other agencies should distribute food more effectively.
– The U.N. suggests Israel’s restrictions and conduct in the conflict could constitute a war crime.
– Ceasefire talks are resuming in Qatar, with discussions around a six-week truce that would involve the release of hostages and detainees and the provision of aid to Gaza.
– The humanitarian situation in Gaza and the potential assault on Rafah have caused tension between the Israeli government and the U.S. administration.
– White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan expressed that a ground operation in Rafah would be a mistake and that Israel’s goals can be achieved by other means.
– Israel insists a ground assault is necessary to defeat Hamas in Gaza, including in Rafah.
– Hamas reported the death of a senior police commander and his family in northern Gaza due to overnight air strikes.
– Israel aims to continue its military operations in Gaza until Hamas is defeated and claims to have killed senior Hamas officials, including the deputy commander of the Hamas military wing.
– Talks hosted in Qatar between Israel and Hamas are ongoing, with hopes for a truce that would benefit over two million people in Gaza.

Israel’s restrictions to Gaza aid may be war crime, says UN rights office

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Israel’s restrictions to Gaza aid may be war crime, says UN rights office

Israel’s restrictions on humanitarian aid for Gaza might constitute a war crime due to potential starvation tactics, as stated by the U.N. human rights chief, Volker Turk. A U.N.-backed report warned of a possible famine in Gaza by May if the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues. Israel, however, claims it is facilitating aid delivery and blames the U.N. and relief groups for any issues related to aid distribution. The Israeli diplomatic mission in Geneva asserted that Israel is actively working to provide Gaza with aid through various means. The U.N. High Commissioner emphasized Israel’s obligations as the occupying power to ensure food and medical care for Gaza’s population and support humanitarian organizations in their aid delivery efforts. The report highlighted severe malnutrition and food insecurity in northern Gaza, with people resorting to eating bird seeds, animal fodder, wild grass, and weeds due to the lack of food. Turk described the crisis as “human-made” and called for international pressure on Israel to allow full aid delivery and restore essential services in Gaza.

Israel approves plan to attack Rafah but keeps truce hopes alive

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Israel approves plan to attack Rafah but keeps truce hopes alive

Israel approved a potential assault on Rafah in Gaza but also plans to send a delegation to Qatar for talks on a possible hostage deal with Hamas. Netanyahu’s office confirmed the attack plan, citing Hamas’ stronghold in Rafah and the intention to evacuate residents. The U.S. expressed cautious optimism about a ceasefire-for-hostages proposal by Hamas, which includes releasing Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Despite global concerns over civilian casualties, Israel aims to eliminate Hamas fighters. A recent Israeli airstrike in Gaza City killed or wounded several people. Hamas has offered a counter-proposal for a truce, involving the release of hostages for Palestinian prisoners, but gaps remain between the Israeli and Hamas positions. The war began with a Hamas attack on October 7, killing 1,200 and taking 253 hostages, leading to an Israeli assault that has killed over 31,000 and displaced nearly all of Gaza’s population. The first aid ship, Open Arms, arrived in Gaza, bringing food and water, amidst warnings of famine and malnutrition in the region.

Aid supply ship from Cyprus reaches Gaza coast

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Aid supply ship from Cyprus reaches Gaza coast

– A ship towing a barge loaded with food arrived off Gaza as a test run for a new aid route from Cyprus.
– The ship was arranged by the World Central Kitchen (WCK) charity and is carrying nearly 200 tonnes of aid.
– A second ship is expected to sail soon to deliver aid to Gaza.
– The aid is to be delivered via a jetty being prepared in Gaza.
– There are few details on how the aid delivery and distribution will work in Gaza.
– The new sea route aims to ease the hunger crisis in Gaza, where there is a looming famine after five months of Israel’s military campaign.
– Aid agencies have stated that bringing in aid by sea and through air drops will not fully compensate for the difficulties of getting supplies by land.
– The war in Gaza began on Oct. 7 with Hamas fighters attacking Israel, killing 1,200 people and seizing 253 hostages according to Israeli tallies.
– Israel’s military campaign in response has killed more than 31,000 Palestinians and driven most of the population from their homes, according to health authorities in Hamas-run Gaza.

Aid ship reaches Gaza as Israel rejects Hamas truce offer [VIDEO]

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Aid ship reaches Gaza as Israel rejects Hamas truce offer [VIDEO]

– The first ship carrying food aid, the Open Arms vessel with 200 tonnes of food, reached the coast of the Gaza Strip.
– The charity World Central Kitchen (WCK) aims to deliver the aid on a temporary jetty.
– The aid is intended to ease the hunger crisis in Gaza, where hundreds of thousands face malnourishment.
– The war began with an attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and taking 253 hostages in Israel.
– An Israeli assault has killed more than 31,000 people and displaced nearly the entire 2.3 million population of Gaza.
– Hamas’s latest ceasefire counter-proposal, which includes the release of hostages and talks to end the war, was rejected by Israel.
– Israel demands only temporary pauses in fighting and refuses to discuss ending the war until Hamas is eradicated.
– Sami Abu Zuhri, a senior Hamas official, criticized Israel’s rejection of the ceasefire proposal.
– Efforts for a ceasefire continue, with mediators from the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar involved.
– The United Nations reports all 2.3 million people in Gaza are suffering from a food crisis.
– Israel denies blame for the hunger crisis and calls for better food distribution by aid agencies.
– At least 21 people were killed and 150 wounded by Israeli forces during a food distribution event.
– U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called for Israelis to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, criticizing his approach to the conflict.

EU humanitarian chief urges Israel to boost land access to Gaza

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EU humanitarian chief urges Israel to boost land access to Gaza

– Air drops and a maritime corridor are insufficient to replace the supplies usually transported by trucks into Gaza, according to the European Union’s top humanitarian aid official.
– Janez Lenarcic, the EU’s humanitarian aid and crisis management chief, emphasized that land routes are the most efficient way to deliver supplies to Gaza.
– Lenarcic warned of a famine risk in Gaza, with credible indications of existing famine pockets.
– Gaza has been isolated since Israel’s war with Hamas began following an attack by Hamas on October 7.
– The United Nations estimates over half a million people in Gaza, out of a population of 2.3 million, are on the brink of starvation, with child malnutrition levels being extremely high, especially in the northern part of Gaza.
– Lenarcic called for a surge in humanitarian aid and its distribution within Gaza, stressing the importance of land access and urging Israel to open additional land crossings.
– Officials from the European Union, the United States, the United Nations, Britain, Cyprus, the UAE, and Qatar discussed establishing a maritime aid corridor from Cyprus amid international pressure on Israel to alleviate hunger in Gaza.
– A shipment from the U.S.-based charity World Central Kitchen, carrying 200 million tons of aid, departed from Cyprus to Gaza earlier in the week.