A high risk of famine persists in Gaza and the situation \u201cremains catastrophic\u201d as the war between Israel and Hamas continues, according to a report released Tuesday by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC). <\/p>\n
Nearly half a million are projected to face catastrophic levels of hunger, the most severe level on the IPC scale where people \u201cexperience an extreme lack of food, starvation, and exhaustion of coping capacities,\u201d according to the report. <\/p>\n
96% of the population of Gaza \u2013 more than 2 million people \u2013 will face crisis, emergency, or catastrophic levels of food insecurity through at least the end of September, the report projects. <\/p>\n
\u201cA high risk of famine persists across the whole of the Gaza Strip as long as conflict continues and humanitarian access is restricted,\u201d the report said. \u201cOnly the cessation of hostilities in conjunction with sustained humanitarian access to the entire Gaza Strip can reduce the risk of a famine occurring in the Gaza Strip.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cThe last few months have demonstrated that food and humanitarian access and malnutrition prevalence can change very quickly, the risk of epidemics is increasing and eight months of extreme pressure on the lives of the population make them much more vulnerable to collapse into famine,\u201d said the report, compiled by the IPC\u2019s Famine Review Committee. <\/p>\n
\u201cGiven the unpredictability of the ongoing conflict and humanitarian access challenges, any significant change may lead to a very rapid deterioration into Famine,\u201d the report said. <\/p>\n
The findings of the report echo testimonies from those on the ground about the dire humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. Nearly nine months of Israel\u2019s bombardment and siege have depleted the health care system, battered water infrastructure and created dire conditions for the entire population of more than 2.2 million people. <\/p>\n
Increased Israeli attacks in the southern city of Rafah have triggered mass displacement and an outbreak of infectious diseases in the sprawling tent camps where people cannot access basic sanitation. With no signs of an imminent ceasefire being agreed to stop the fighting, relief workers say the suffering of civilians on the ground will only get worse. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe latest data shows that, to be able to purchase food, more than half of the households had to exchange their clothes for money and one third resorted to picking up trash to sell,\u201d the report detailed in its \u201cspecial snapshot.\u201d <\/strong>\u201cMore than half also reported that, often, they do not have any food to eat in the house, and over 20 percent go entire days and nights without eating.\u201d <\/p>\n The report acknowledged there were some improvements to the situation in the north of Gaza, where the IPC warned in March that famine was imminent. Tuesday\u2019s report assessed that due to an increase in food deliveries in March and April, \u201cthe available evidence does not indicate that Famine is currently occurring\u201d in the north. However, it notes the possibility remains throughout the entire Gaza Strip. <\/p>\n Although there was also some improvement in the south of Gaza in that time, the report said, the situation deteriorated with the launch of Israel\u2019s military operations in Rafah. The Rafah crossing \u2013 a key transitway for humanitarian aid to Gaza \u2013 has been closed since early May, and only a handful of other land crossings remain open. Humanitarian aid workers continue to face tremendous risks to try to distribute the desperately needed aid to Gaza. The majority of the infrastructure to support humanitarian work in Gaza has been destroyed in Israel\u2019s war against Hamas. <\/p>\n \u201cThe humanitarian space in the Gaza Strip continues to shrink and the ability to safely deliver assistance to populations is dwindling,\u201d the report\u2019s special snapshot said. \u201cThe recent trajectory is negative and highly unstable. Should this continue, the improvements seen in April could be rapidly reversed.\u201d <\/p>\n The report also \u201cencourages all stakeholders who use the IPC for high-level decision-making to understand that whether a Famine classification is confirmed or not does not in any manner change the fact that extreme human suffering is without a doubt currently ongoing in the Gaza Strip.\u201d <\/p>\n It \u201cdoes not change the immediate humanitarian imperative to address this civilian suffering by enabling complete, safe, unhindered, and sustained humanitarian access into and throughout the Gaza Strip, including through ceasing hostilities,\u201d the report continued. <\/p>\n The United States, Israel\u2019s closest ally, has repeatedly called on the Netanyahu government to do more to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. US President Joe Biden warned in early April that Israel had to take immediate concrete steps or risk changes in US policy. Thus far, there have been no such changes in policy. <\/p>\n \u201cThe IPC report \u2026 obviously it confirmed what we all know and what we\u2019ve been dealing with for some time is that the humanitarian situation on the ground is extremely dire. That\u2019s why we have been so incredibly focused on alleviating that situation,\u201d State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said Tuesday. <\/p>\n \u201cWe can\u2019t wait for a ceasefire, obviously, even as we try to get one and we need to do more to improve the humanitarian situation on the ground,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s what we\u2019re trying to do \u2026 through working to resolve these issues between the government of Israel, the Israeli security forces and the UN humanitarian agencies.\u201d <\/p>\n Meanwhile, humanitarian workers are warning that the situation in Gaza is untenable. <\/p>\n \u201cIn the north, when we raised the famine alarm, we were able to get some more trucks in. And so for the moment, it is better. Not great \u2014 I don\u2019t want to give false illusions here that this is all hunky dory, because it\u2019s not,\u201d said World Food Programme Director Cindy McCain. \u201cThere\u2019s still great need in the north, and it\u2019s complex. It\u2019s complex for this reason. It\u2019s not just food they need. They need water, they need sanitation, they need health care. All of those things contribute to famine.\u201d <\/p>\n Kate Phillips-Barrasso, of Mercy Corps, added, \u201cThe population cannot endure these hardships any longer. The toll of military action has been far too high, and we fear without dramatic changes to the provision of humanitarian aid, the death toll will climb as people succumb to months of deprivation. <\/p>\n \u201cCompounding the suffering is oppressive summer heat, no access to clean water, and increasing exposure to garbage and sewage. This lethal equation will undoubtedly lead to acute suffering and mortality,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n On Friday, the commissioner-general for the UN\u2019s agency for Palestinia refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, urged the \u201cuninterrupted, regular, coordinated and meaningful flow of humanitarian assistance.\u201d <\/p>\n This story has been updated.<\/em> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A high risk of famine persists in Gaza and the situation \u201cremains catastrophic\u201d as the war between Israel and Hamas continues, according to a report released Tuesday by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC). 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