Gaza City, Gaza Strip (AP) – The world’s leading authority over food crises said on Friday that the biggest city of Gaza strip suffers from famine, and that it is likely to spread throughout the region without a ceasefire and the end of restrictions on human aid.
Integrated food security phase classification, or IPC, stated that Akal Gaza is taking place in the city, houses of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, and it can spread to South al-Balah and Khan Unis by the end of next month to the south.
IPC comes after fixation Warning month The restrictions of food and other assistance in Gaza, Israel, by support groups, and its military aggressive, Palestinian citizens, especially among children were causing high level of starvation.
Gaza city can increase aggressive appetite
Grimm Milestone – For the first time IPC has confirmed an famine in the Middle East – is sure to increase international pressure on Israel, which has lived in one Was cruel Attack, with Hamas, since October 7, 2023 of the militant group. Israel says it is planning to pursue war soon Seizing the city of Gaza And other Hamas strongholds, experts say that the hunger crisis will increase.
The IPC stated that hunger has been motivated by fighting and assistance blockade, and increased by the collapse of widespread displacement and the collapse of food production in Gaza, pushed hunger for life for life for life in the entire region after 22 months of war.
The IPC report stated that more than half a million people in Gaza, a quarter of the population, face horrific levels of hunger, and many are at risk of dying due to malnutrition -related causes. Last month, the IPC stated that the “worst situation of famine” was coming out in Gaza, but was reduced by an official determination.
Report of Israel controversies reports famine
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has denied that there is hunger in Gaza, calling the report of “lies” promoted by Hamas. After publication of Images of weak children In reports of deaths related to Gaza and hunger, Israel announced measures to provide more humanitarian aid. Nevertheless, the United Nations and Palestinians in Gaza say what is entering, which is needed.
The Israeli military agency rejected the report on Friday to transfer assistance to the region, called it a “false and biased”. The agency, known as Cogat, dismissed the claim that Gaza was famine and said that in recent weeks, important steps were taken to expand the amount of aid entering the strip.
In a post on social media, Israel’s Foreign Ministry also rejected the findings, stating that the IPC report “Hamas was based on lies.” It said that more than 100,000 trucks have entered Gaza since the onset of the war, including large -scale influx with staple foods in recent weeks.
Chris Newton, an analyst at the International Crisis Group, said, “The rapid growing number of people, especially young children, are dying of deaths from starvation and disease as Israel has made a major part of its campaign to control the strip.”
He said that after the beginning of the famine, Israel’s plan to increase the war in the weeks of Gaza city shows that “deliberately how famine is and how starvation occurs in Israel,” he said.
Netanyahu says that more military pressure is required to achieve Israel’s goals to free the hostages organized by Hamas and to completely eliminate the militant group.
How a famine is determined
Formal famine determination Are far away. The IPC set a famine in 2011 in Somalia in Somalia and parts of South Sudan in 2017 and 2020 in parts of the western Darfur region of Sudan.
The IPC says that a famine exists in one area when the following three situations are confirmed:
At least 20% of families are highly reduced to food, or are essentially hungry. At least 30% of children are suffering from intense malnutrition or ruin from 6 months to 5 years old, which means they are very thin for their height. And at least two people, or four children under 5, are dying daily due to starvation or malnutrition and disease interaction in 10,000.
Its restrictions on Israel’s aggressive and access to Gaza have made it difficult to collect data.
The data analyzed between July 1 and August 15 showed clear evidence that starvation and intense malnutrition have reached the threshold. It has been difficult to collect data for mortality, but the IPC said it is appropriate to conclude from evidence that it is likely to reach the required extent.
The IPC warned that one -third of Gaza’s population could withstand the horrific level of hunger by the end of September, and it is probably an undercount.
“Mass Stavement: The History and Future of Femin” and Alex de Walle, the author of the Executive Director of the World Peace Foundation, said that Israel had allowed the IPC to get better access to collect data, determined a premature months ago, which would soon raise global awareness.
“Sadly, it seems that it is necessary for experts to ‘Shout famine!” Before the world takes notice, the time it is too late, ”he said.
Israel has banned assistance up to different degrees throughout the war. In March, it cut the entry of all goods, including fuel, food and therapy, to pressurize Hamas to free the hostages.
Israel reduced those sanctions in May and said that there is no limit to how many assistance trucks can enter Gaza. But it pushed forward with a new one US-supported support distribution system This requires Palestinians to travel long distance and get help to get help.
Traditional, United Nations -led aid providers say Delivery has been interrupted By Israeli military restrictions and robbery incidents, while Criminals And hungry crowd enters the convoy.
Witnesses, health officials and United Nations Rights Office say hundreds of people have been killed by Israeli forces demanding assistance from both providers, while Israel says it has only removed the warning shot and the toll is exaggerated.
In Gaza city, a parents see their children ruined
On the eve of the war, Gaza City was home to some 700,000 people about Washington’s population.
During the conflict, it is focused on regular Israeli bombing and ground operations. Many neighborhoods Almost completely destroyedThousands of people fled under Israeli withdrawal orders at the beginning of the war but Many people returned during a ceasefire earlier this year,
In recent weeks, doctors and nurses in Gaza have clearly seen an increase in the number of malnourished patients.
Kirsty Blaka, an Australian emergency nurse working at the Al-Quids Hospital in Gaza City through June, said the weak men with no conclusion were looking like teenagers because they were starving.
He said that lack of food has been complicated by causing diarrhea and infection by contaminated water, and it is difficult to overcome when people are malnourished.
If Israel empties people from the city ahead of its new aggressive, thousands of people will be very weak to leave. “Due to starvation, it will put additional stress on the already reduced bodies and will lead to the death of many of Palestinians,” he said.
Families in Gaza City say that they are watching their loved ones ruined.
Yousef Sbteh’s two teenage children were injured by pellets during an Israeli airstrike in June and spent the last two months in the hospital. There, both of them have lost weight because there is not enough food, they said, saying that they cannot afford to buy more because prices have increased in markets. Doctors say that teenagers had no situation of prehexisting.
According to his doctors, his 15 -year -old daughter Aya lost about 20 kg (44 pounds) or about 30% of body weight. His 17 -year -old brother Ahmed has lost about 15 kg (33 pounds). Doctors say that nutritional supplements and lack of healthy food are slowing their recovery.
“Doctors say that he needs protein, meat and fish,” Sabheh said sitting near his frill daughter. “But I can no longer provide that.”
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Mednik reported from Tel Aviv, Israel. Sally Abu Alajoud contributed to Beirut, Lebanon.
Sam Medic and Wafa Shurfa, Associated Press