Israel dismisses Gaza famine despite criticism, pressure from US
Israel has dismissed warnings from global food security experts about a looming famine in northern Gaza, where it continues its military operations against Hamas.
Responding to the warning from the independent Famine Review Committee (FRC), Israel’s military argued that the experts’ conclusions relied on “partial, biased data and superficial sources with vested interests.”
The FRC had issued a rare alert on Friday, warning of a high likelihood of imminent famine in northern Gaza and urging immediate action from the parties involved to prevent a humanitarian disaster. Israel countered by stating it had increased its aid initiatives, including opening an additional crossing into Gaza on Friday.
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Similarly, the Muslim Parrot reported that the Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East Philippe Lazzarini warned of an impending, “man-made” famine in northern Gaza, accusing Israel of “weaponising hunger” in its military campaign against the region.
In response to the FRC’s alert, a U.S. State Department spokesperson expressed concern over the limited aid reaching Gaza civilians and emphasized the urgent need for action. “We have and will continue to make clear to Israel that they must do more to facilitate aid entry and delivery inside Gaza,” the spokesperson said, adding that the U.S. was working with Israel, the UN, and other partners to boost aid efforts.
The spokesperson further stressed that Hamas must release hostages and refrain from hindering aid. Since October 2023, Israel reported that 39,000 trucks with 840,000 tons of food have entered Gaza, and it is coordinating with the UN, which has 700 trucks awaiting distribution.
Facing criticism and pressure from the U.S. to improve humanitarian conditions, Israel may risk restrictions on military cooperation if the situation does not improve in the coming days.
