With famine looming, EU and UN urge 'unfettered' access for aid shipments to Gaza

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

GENEVA (AA) - The EU and UN on Wednesday strongly urged "unfettered" access of aid shipments to the Gaza Strip, where officials have documented a high risk of famine.

"We are extremely concerned about the war in Gaza and the unfolding catastrophic humanitarian situation. Gaza is facing famine, this is unacceptable," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told a joint press briefing with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in Brussels ahead of their bilateral meeting.

"It's critical to achieve an agreement on a cease-fire rapidly now, that frees the hostages and allows more humanitarian aid to reach Gaza," she stressed.

Saying the EU is doing everything it can to channel more aid to Gaza, she also called for the opening of more land crossings while alternatives such as airdrops and maritime corridors are developed.

On a lasting solution to the current conflict, von der Leyen said: "We need to build a clear political path towards a two-state solution."

Guterres, for his part, underlined that "nothing justifies the collective punishment of the Palestinian people," as "more than half of the population, over a million people, are facing catastrophic hunger."

"We must act now before it is too late," he urged, adding: "I call on the Israeli authorities to ensure complete and unfettered access for humanitarian goods throughout Gaza and for the international community to fully support our humanitarian efforts."

He added that efforts must continue to stop the killing, reach an immediate humanitarian cease-fire, and secure the unconditional release of hostages.

According to a recent report by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification Initiative, famine in Gaza "is imminent in the northern governorates and projected to occur anytime between mid-March and May 2024," a period the enclave has since entered.

The report underlined the urgent need for an immediate cessation of hostilities and sustained access for the provision of essential supplies and services.

Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7 cross-border attack led by Palestinian resistance group Hamas in which nearly 1,200 Israelis were killed.

Nearly 32,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have since been killed in Gaza, and more than 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.