'There is barely any food available in Gaza,': Red Cross chief warns

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - The head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) expressed concern Tuesday about food security in the Gaza Strip.

"The hunger in Gaza serves as a stark reminder of the immense hardships civilians are enduring," Jagan Chapagain wrote on X, saying, "desperate times call for urgent action."

Stressing that the hunger serves as a stark reminder of the "immense hardships civilians are enduring," he said the food crisis in the besieged enclave demands immediate attention and decisive measures.

"An increased, rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian aid is needed to reach those in need - now," he noted. "There is barely any food available," and children are suffering from malnutrition.

Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on the Gaza Strip since an attack by the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, last October, which killed less than 1,200 people.

More than 31,800 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have since been killed in Gaza, and almost 74,000 injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

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 is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to ensure its forces do not commit acts of genocide, and guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.