Jerusalem, Cairo, and London:
The worldwide hunger monitor said on Monday that mass mortality is now inevitable in the beleaguered Gaza unless there is an immediate truce and a rush of food to areas shut off by conflict. Extreme food shortages in some areas of the besieged Gaza have already exceeded famine levels.
According to the Integrated Food-Security Phase Classification (IPC), which is used by UN agencies to make evaluations, 70% of people in some areas of northern Gaza were experiencing the worst kind of food shortage, which is more than three times the 20% threshold that qualifies as famine.
Despite stating that it lacked sufficient data on mortality rates, the IPC predicted that inhabitants would soon be dying at a famine scale, which is defined as two out of every 10,000 people per day passing away from starvation, malnutrition, or illness.
According to Gaza’s health ministry, starvation has been the cause of death for 27 children and 3 adults thus far.
“The actions needed to prevent famine require an immediate political decision for a ceasefire together with a significant and immediate increase in humanitarian and commercial access to the entire population of Gaza,” it stated.
Approximately half of Gaza’s population, or 1.1 million people, were suffering from “catastrophic” food shortages, and 300,000 of them were now in danger of dying from starvation.
Since Israel began its war against Hamas fighters after their murderous attack on Israeli territory on October 7, the possibility of a man-made famine in Gaza has drawn the most concern from Western supporters.
“Famine is no longer looming large in Gaza. We are experiencing famine right now. Hunger is employed as a military tactic. At a seminar in Brussels on aid for Gaza, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell stated, “Israel is provoking famine.”
Borrell was told to “stop attacking Israel and recognise our right to self-defence against Hamas’ fighters” by Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz.
According to Katz on X, Israel permitted “massive humanitarian aid into Gaza by land, air, and sea for anyone willing to help.” However, it was “violently disturbed” by Hamas fighters with “collaboration” from UNRWA, the UN agency that provides aid to Gaza.
The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, described the IPC report as a “appalling indictment” and insisted that Israel grant full and unrestricted access to Gaza.
According to British Foreign Minister David Cameron, “it’s clear the status quo is unsustainable,” and he would carefully analyse the findings. To prevent a famine, we must act immediately.”
Israel, which at first only let supplies to enter Gaza through two checkpoints on the southern border of the enclave, claims to be expanding its land channels for aid delivery and permitting air and sea drops as well. Last week, the first boat delivering relief arrived.
Aid organisations report that they are still unable to securely deliver goods or get enough of them through, particularly in the north.
hospital-related injury
Overnight, Israeli forces conducted a significant attack on Al Shifa hospital, located amid the ruins of Gaza City, the biggest city located in the northern part of the embattled Gaza strip. It was once Gaza’s largest hospital, and today it stands as one of the few healthcare facilities in the northern portion of the territory remaining in some partial operation.
More than twenty Hamas fighters were reportedly killed by Israel, including Fayeq al-Mabhouh, a prominent Hamas commander who was hospitalised. According to Hamas, he was a Palestinian police officer entrusted with managing the security of assistance supplies entering Gaza.
The war, which is in its sixth month, was scheduled to resume truce negotiations on Monday when an Israeli delegation headed to Qatar was led by the nation’s chief spy. However, an Israeli source stated that concluding any agreement would likely require a minimum of two additional weeks, a glaring letdown for Washington, which had hoped to reach a consensus before the commencement of the Ramadan holy month last week.
In a phone chat on Monday, President Joe Biden forewarned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that a military action in Rafah would intensify chaos in Gaza. They also decided that delegations from both sides would convene in Washington to deliberate on the matter, according to the White House.
Netanyahu has promised to advance into the southernmost enclave of Gaza, Rafah, where over half of the 2.3 million people living there are seeking refuge in anticipation of an Israeli attack farther north.
Last week, the head of Biden’s Democratic Party in the US Senate urged Israelis to remove Netanyahu from office because, in his words, Israel’s reputation was being destroyed by permitting excessive suffering in Gaza.
According to Israeli counts, the battle started when Hamas fighters surged into Israel, murdering 1,200 people and capturing 253 others. Palestinian health officials claim that since then, over 31,000 Gazans have died as a result of Israel’s onslaught.
unique forces
Based on information that Hamas commanders were using the facility, the Israeli military stated that special forces, backed by infantry and tanks, carried out a “precise operation” on the Al Shifa facility compound.
“We have detained over 200 terrorist suspects who are currently undergoing interrogation,” stated Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, a spokesman. He claimed that during the firefight, one Israeli soldier died.
For months, residents in northern Gaza reported some of the worst fighting.
A father of two who lives next to the hospital, Mohammad Ali, 32, told Reuters on a chat app that the assault’s noise awakened the community at approximately one in the morning.
“Soon tanks started to roll, they came from the western road and headed towards Al Shifa, then sounds of gunfire and explosions increased,” he continued.
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, the raid created a fire inside the hospital that killed displaced people.
