Palestinians in Gaza ‘on verge of famine’ amid Israeli war, UN agency warns

By Anadolu staff

ISTANBUL (AA) – Gaza population is ‘on the verge of famine,” the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) warned on Sunday.

“People in Gaza are on the verge of famine,” UNRWA said in a statement. “UNRWA needs to be able to reach as many people as possible with critical aid.”

The UN agency said the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Palestinians in Gaza “remains the most efficient and safest way.”

“Safe, unimpeded and sustained access throughout the Gaza Strip is a matter of life and death,” it added.

Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on the Gaza Strip since a Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023, which killed nearly 1,200 people.

More than 31,600 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have since been killed in Gaza, and nearly 73,700 others injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

Israel has also imposed a crippling blockade on Gaza, leaving its population, particularly residents in the north, on the verge of starvation.

The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of most food, clean water, and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

* Writing by Ikram Kouachi