The UN Security Council on Wednesday delivered strong criticism of Israel’s systematic starvation policy against Palestinians in Gaza, following the UN’s official declaration of famine in the besieged enclave.
UN Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Joyce Msuya reported that “over half a million people in Gaza are currently living in full famine conditions,” stressing that this crisis “is not the result of a natural disaster but a deliberate outcome of 22 months of obstruction to humanitarian supplies.”
She warned that 132,000 Palestinian children are suffering from severe malnutrition, with the risk of death among children tripling.
Inger Ashing, CEO of Save the Children, described the famine as “man-made and a deliberate method of warfare,” emphasizing that Israel could end the crisis immediately by allowing aid deliveries.
UN Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Ramiz Alakbarov stated that “there is no horizon for an end to the war in Gaza,” warning that any new military operations in Gaza City would trigger the displacement of hundreds of thousands of civilians.
Israel has kept all Gaza crossings closed since March, preventing food and humanitarian aid from entering, while continuing daily bombardments that have killed 62,895 people and injured 158,927 since October 2023.
