ALGIERS, March 24 (Xinhua) -- The Algerian Red Crescent on Sunday began the loading of 150 tonnes of humanitarian aid bound for the Gaza Strip which teeters on the brink of a mass famine.
The aid, carried by eight military aircraft, will depart from Boufarik Military Airport, some 30 km southwest of the capital Algiers, the Red Crescent said in a statement.
The aid is expected to arrive at the Al Arish airport in Egypt before being transported to Rafah in southern Gaza.
Famine is imminent in the northern part of the Gaza Strip and the entire population of Gaza is facing crisis levels of food insecurity or worse, according to a report released by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) on March 18.
The report shows that 1.1 million people in Gaza -- half of the population -- have completely exhausted their food supplies and coping capacities and are struggling with catastrophic hunger (IPC Phase 5) and starvation.
This is the highest number of people ever recorded as facing catastrophic hunger by the IPC system, and double the number in IPC Phase 5 just three months ago. ■