Urgent Call for Aid Amidst Deteriorating Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza

Ross Smith, the emergency director of the World Food Programme, has expressed that the current humanitarian crisis in Gaza is unprecedented in this century, drawing parallels to the severe famines seen in Ethiopia and Biafra. He emphasized the need for urgent intervention as the situation continues to deteriorate, impacting countless lives.

Amid the escalating crisis, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office placed blame on Hamas, accusing the group of manipulating casualty numbers and misappropriating food aid intended for civilians. Netanyahu claimed that Israel has been facilitating significant humanitarian assistance daily, including essential supplies like food, water, and medicine, while asserting that Hamas has been diverting this aid through forceful means.

Despite Netanyahu’s earlier statements insisting that there was no starvation in Gaza, U.S. President Donald Trump has voiced concerns that the reality may indeed reflect a dire food crisis. Following a total blockade imposed on Gaza on March 2, which occurred after failed ceasefire negotiations, Israel began allowing limited aid to flow into the region by late May amidst fears of widespread starvation.

In response to growing international pressure, Israel has recently initiated "tactical pauses" to permit more aid trucks to enter Gaza and has facilitated air drops from Jordanian and Emirati planes. However, the IPC cautions that these measures will only alleviate the crisis if humanitarian organizations are granted immediate and unhindered access. They have warned that neglecting this urgent situation could lead to widespread fatalities, especially as reports indicate that 16 children under five have died of hunger since July 17, and rising starvation and malnutrition are propelling mortality rates related to hunger.