Palestinians in northern Gaza on brink of starvation and Israel has ‘dramatically worsened the situation’ – aid agencies
The agencies have said the food situation in Gaza is in an “even more dire state today than a month ago” as Israel’s military operation in the territory continues.
Palestinians in northern Gaza are on the brink of starvation and Israel’s actions have made the situation worse, according to a group of respected aid agencies.
The group, which includes Save The Children, Oxfam, the Norwegian Refugee Council and Anera, have published a document on the eve of a deadline set by the United States, demanding the situation improves.
The charities accuse Israel of taking actions that have “dramatically worsened the situation of the ground” and assess that the situation is “in an even more dire state today than a month ago”.
Their conclusions are based on observations and experiences of aid agencies working in Gaza as well as public data and “secondary sources”.
On 13 October the US secretaries of state and defence issued a letter to the Israeli government giving them 30 days to improve the humanitarian crisis in northern Gaza or face unspecified consequences, widely understood to include suspension of arms transfers.
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As that deadline approaches, the Israeli military operation in the north of the strip continues and the international body responsible for monitoring food crises has warned that there is a “strong likelihood that famine is imminent”.
Aid deliveries to northern Gaza stopped entirely in the first two weeks of October and aid workers have regularly been prevented from accessing the area.
The US letter demanded a minimum of 350 aid trucks access Gaza every day – Israel has failed to facilitate that, according to the aid agencies.
On average, only 42 trucks a day have entered the territory.
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Israel has also failed to rescind evacuation orders when there is no operational need for them, failed to confirm there is no policy of forced evacuations and failed to increase the number of vetted aid delivery drivers.
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has criticised the Israeli actions in Gaza as “genocide” in the strongest remarks made by the kingdom to date.
The EU’s foreign affairs representative Josep Borrell has also said that forced displacement of people is a breach of international law and described the situation as “a man-made catastrophe”.
“The new analysis clearly demonstrates that the Israeli government is violating its obligations under US and international law to facilitate humanitarian relief for suffering Palestinians in Gaza,” said the president of Refugees International, Jeremy Konyndyk.
Sky News has contacted the Israeli body responsible for overseeing access to Gaza for comment.
