Cindy McCain, executive director of the UN World Food Programme, has delivered a devastating assessment of the situation in northern Gaza, declaring that a "full-blown famine" is already underway in the region. This stark declaration directly contradicts recent claims by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who denied such a scenario was occurring.
In an exclusive interview with NBC's 'Meet the Press', McCain stated that the famine is "moving its way south" through the besieged territory, indicating a rapidly escalating humanitarian catastrophe.
Direct Contradiction to Israeli Claims
The announcement comes just days after Netanyahu publicly asserted in a media interview that there was no famine in Gaza. McCain's first-hand account, based on the WFP's extensive ground operations and assessment capabilities, presents a dramatically different picture of the reality facing Palestinian civilians.
"It's horror," McCain described. "There is famine—full-blown famine—in the north, and it's moving its way south."
Ceasefire and Aid Delivery Stalled
The dire warning emerges amid stalled negotiations for a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. The ongoing conflict has severely restricted the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, where approximately 2.3 million people face severe food shortages, malnutrition, and catastrophic hunger levels.
McCain emphasized the urgent need for both a ceasefire and dramatically increased aid access, stating that without immediate action, the situation will continue to deteriorate rapidly.
International Response and Implications
This declaration from one of the world's leading food security authorities is likely to increase international pressure on Israel to facilitate greater humanitarian access to Gaza. The United States and other Western allies have repeatedly urged Israel to do more to protect civilian lives and allow aid to reach those in desperate need.
The famine declaration represents one of the most serious accusations against Israel's conduct in the war, suggesting that the blockade and military operations have created conditions where mass starvation is now occurring.
