GENEVA, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- Senior United Nations (UN) officials on Friday warned that Gaza is facing a severe famine caused by Israeli restrictions and obstruction of humanitarian aid, calling for an immediate ceasefire and full, unimpeded access to deliver food and supplies to civilians in urgent need.
UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher said at a press conference in Geneva that the famine unfolding in Gaza "could have been prevented," noting that food supplies were piling up outside the border due to what he described as "systematic obstruction by Israel." He urged an immediate ceasefire and the opening of all supply routes to enable large-scale, unhindered delivery of aid.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk also issued a statement Friday, stressing that the famine in Gaza is the direct result of actions by the Israeli government, which has unlawfully restricted the entry and distribution of humanitarian assistance and other essential goods.
Turk warned that deaths from starvation and malnutrition are already occurring across the enclave. He said Israeli forces have destroyed key civilian infrastructure, nearly all agricultural land, banned fishing, and forcibly displaced much of the population. He underscored that the use of starvation as a method of warfare constitutes a war crime, calling on Israel to take immediate steps to end the famine, prevent further loss of life, and ensure full humanitarian access.
According to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) released Friday, more than half a million people in Gaza are already facing famine conditions marked by starvation and preventable deaths. ■
