Urgent International Warnings: Over 100 Organizations Alert to Imminent "Mass Famine" in Gaza

More than one hundred non-governmental organizations issued a stark warning on Wednesday regarding the imminent risk of a "mass famine" in the Gaza Strip, which has suffered immense destruction due to the ongoing war for over 21 months.

Israel faces increasing international pressure due to the appalling and deteriorating humanitarian situation in the besieged and devastated Palestinian enclave, a consequence of the ongoing conflict between the Jewish state and Hamas. Although Israel partially eased the comprehensive blockade it imposed on the Strip in early March – which had led to severe shortages of food, medicine, and other essential goods – the situation remains catastrophic.

On Wednesday, NGOs, including prominent names such as "Doctors Without Borders", "Amnesty International", "Oxfam International", and numerous branches of "Doctors of the World" and "Caritas", released a joint and firm statement. The statement declared that "with mass famine spreading in the Gaza Strip, our colleagues and the people we assist are suffering from emaciation." The organizations collectively called for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the full opening of all land crossings into the Strip, and the guaranteed free and unrestricted flow of humanitarian aid.

This crucial statement comes a day after the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights accused the Israeli army of killing over a thousand people at aid distribution points in Gaza since late May. The Commissioner noted that the vast majority of victims were near sites belonging to the "Gaza Humanitarian Foundation", an organization supported by both the United States and Israel.

For its part, Israel accuses Hamas of exploiting civilian suffering, particularly through looting humanitarian aid for resale at exorbitant prices or by firing on those waiting for assistance. Conversely, the "Gaza Humanitarian Foundation" holds Hamas responsible for the humanitarian situation in the Strip.

The war erupted following an unprecedented attack by Hamas on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Despite continuous assertions from Israeli authorities that they allow large quantities of aid to pass, NGOs confirm the existence of numerous restrictions hindering the effective entry and distribution of this aid to those in need.

In their joint statement, humanitarian organizations reported that "just outside the Gaza Strip, in warehouses – and even within it – tons of food, drinking water, medical supplies, shelter materials, and fuel remain unused, as humanitarian organizations are not permitted to access or deliver them."

In a tragic development, Al-Shifa Medical Complex announced on Tuesday that 21 children had died in Gaza within the past 72 hours "due to malnutrition and famine," with the humanitarian catastrophe facing the Strip's residents reaching unprecedented levels. This announcement coincided with a warning from the United Nations that "famine is knocking on every door" in the besieged Strip.