“Israel is provoking famine,” EU’s foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell said in his opening speech at the European Humanitarian Forum in Brussels on Monday (18 March), as he stressed the urgency of Israel opening up more crossing points into the Gaza Strip.
Borrell’s dire analysis was echoed by a new report of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC). It found famine is imminent in northern Gaza, and the entire population of the strip is estimated to be acutely food insecure.
“Never before have we seen such rapid deterioration into widespread starvation,” said Sally Abi Khalil, Oxfam’s Middle East and North Africa regional director.
“Northern Gaza is days away from famine, and the rest of Gaza faces a similar fate,” she added, as hostilities have not ceased and humanitarian aid access to the population continues to face many obstacles.
Over the past 157 days of war, Israel has allowed some 15,400 trucks into Gaza. This is five times less than what is needed to meet the minimum needs of the population — and access has even been reduced since January, Oxfam says.
“It’s just a matter of political will. Israel has to do it. It’s not a question of logistics,” argued Borrell in Brussels, calling on Israel to allow unimpeded safe humanitarian access.
To date, more than 31,000 people have been killed by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip, where difficult humanitarian access is only exacerbating the situation of the already hungry population.
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