AhlulBayt News Agency: The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has accused Israel of deliberately causing famine and worsening the humanitarian crisis in the besieged Gaza Strip.
In a statement released on Monday, Hamas called for an end to the Israeli blockade to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza “under UN supervision and free from any interference from the [Israeli] occupation.”
The group also rejected a US-Israeli initiative to establish a new foundation for aid distribution in Gaza, arguing that it bypasses the United Nations.
“The only entities authorized to manage and distribute aid are the relevant UN and governmental organizations, not the occupation or its agents,” Hamas said.
Humanitarian organizations also oppose alternative aid distribution efforts, asserting that the UN is best suited to ensure essential assistance reaches Palestinians in Gaza.
Separately, food security experts issued a dire warning on Monday, stating that Gaza is at extreme risk of famine unless Israel lifts its blockade and halts military operations.
According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, a leading global authority on hunger crises, famine is the most likely scenario if conditions remain unchanged.
The report highlights that nearly half a million Palestinians are experiencing “catastrophic” levels of hunger, facing imminent starvation, while another million are at “emergency” levels.
The head of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, QU Dongyu, stressed the urgency of restoring humanitarian aid, warning that any delay brings Gaza “closer to famine.”
“If we fail to act, we are failing to uphold the right to food, which is a basic human right,” Dongyu said.
Israel has blocked the entry of food, shelter, medicine, and other essential supplies into Gaza for the past 10 weeks, while continuing intense airstrikes and a ground offensive.
Gaza’s population of 2.3 million relies almost entirely on external aid, as Israel’s 19-month-long military campaign has destroyed much of the territory’s food production capacity.
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