The United Nations has issued a dire warning regarding the malnutrition crisis in Gaza, revealing that one in five children in Gaza City is now affected. The statement, released on Thursday by Philippe Lazzarini, the UN's Palestinian refugee agency (Unrwa) Commissioner-General, horrifies with a quote from a colleague: "People in Gaza are neither dead nor alive; they are walking corpses." Over 100 international aid and human rights organizations have echoed these concerns, demanding immediate political intervention to help avert mass starvation.
While Israel claims there is no siege and attributes the malnutrition to Hamas, the UN asserts that humanitarian aid entering Gaza is critically low. Lazzarini highlighted the grim reality that "more than 100 people," primarily children, have reportedly succumbed to hunger. He emphasized that many children are found emaciated and in critical need of urgent care, appealing for Israel to allow unrestricted humanitarian assistance into the territory.
The situation in northern Gaza is equally alarming, with local resident Hanaa Almadhoun recounting how markets are often devoid of food, and when items are available, prices are exorbitant. People are resorting to selling their valuables just to purchase essentials like flour. Almadhoun shared the distressing image of children searching through garbage for scraps.
Amidst these dire conditions, Israel's President Isaac Herzog claimed that his country is adhering to international law with regards to humanitarian aid. However, aid workers like Tahani Shehada emphasize the survival struggles that Gazans face daily, stating that basic needs like cooking and bathing have become luxuries. She conveyed the heartbreaking reality of her eight-month-old son never having tasted fresh fruit.
The blockade on aid deliveries from Israel, which was tightened in early March, has only exacerbated food, fuel, and medical shortages in Gaza. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), established in collaboration with the US, is criticized for operating in dangerous conditions, leading to the deaths of over 1,000 Palestinians attempting to access food aid.
Reports indicate that many aid distribution points have turned deadly, with accusations flying between Israel and Hamas regarding responsibility for the chaos. Young individuals like Najah, a 19-year-old widow seeking food, expressed their fears of being shot if they attempt to reach aid sites.
Dr. Aseel, a physician in Gaza, described the territory as not merely facing famine but living through one, with tragic stories emerging of individuals being shot on their way to get assistance. Market seller Abu Alaa shared the despair of his family going to bed hungry every night, pleading for global intervention.
Expectant mothers like Walaa Fathi fear for their unborn children, facing unimaginable hardships amidst the crisis. "We are experiencing a catastrophe and a famine that no one could have imagined," she said, reflecting the urgent need for humanitarian relief in a situation described by many as unthinkable.