The United Nations has issued its most dire assessment to date of the hunger crisis gripping Gaza, with a top official declaring a 'full-blown famine' is already underway in the north of the enclave and is rapidly spreading south.
The stark warning from the World Food Programme (WFP) comes after months of aid agencies accusing the Israeli government of Benjamin Netanyahu of systematically restricting and blocking humanitarian assistance, effectively using starvation as a weapon of war.
A Man-Made Catastrophe
Despite recent Israeli promises to increase aid flows, UN officials and humanitarian groups on the ground report that the situation has continued to deteriorate. The cumbersome inspection process at border crossings and ongoing military operations have made delivering life-saving supplies nearly impossible.
'We are on the brink of a total collapse,' a WFP representative stated. 'This is not a natural disaster; this is a man-made famine. The access constraints we face are unprecedented.'
The Human Cost of Blockaded Aid
The consequences of the aid blockade are devastating and visible. Reports from hospitals describe children dying from malnutrition and dehydration. Families are forced to survive on minuscule amounts of bread and forage for scraps.
The planned Israeli military offensive on the southern city of Rafah, where over a million displaced Palestinians are sheltering, threatens to sever the last functional aid route and escalate the death toll exponentially.
International Condemnation and Israeli Denial
The Netanyahu government has repeatedly denied allegations it is deliberately obstructing aid, blaming logistical issues and looting for the shortages. However, this stance is met with increasing scepticism from the international community, including from traditional allies like the United States.
With ceasefire talks stalling and military operations intensifying, the UN's famine declaration marks a grim new chapter in the conflict, raising urgent questions about international law and the protection of civilians in wartime.
