Overview of the Crisis
The escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached a critical point, with 263 people reported dead from starvation, including 112 children. This severe famine is the direct result of Israel’s 22-month blockade that has restricted access to food, water, and essential supplies, plunging the population into dire conditions.
Details of the Blockade and Famine
Israel enforced a complete closure of Gaza’s crossings from March to mid-May, halting the inflow of food, water, and humanitarian aid. This blockade has caused extreme shortages, pushing the residents of Gaza, already vulnerable, into acute hunger and dehydration. The blockade’s impact has been devastating, with daily necessities becoming increasingly scarce, leading to widespread malnutrition and death.
International Condemnation
On August 14, over 100 international aid organizations, including Oxfam, Doctors Without Borders, Amnesty International, and the Norwegian Refugee Council, publicly condemned Israel’s actions. These groups highlighted that the deliberate obstruction of aid has exacerbated the crisis, with vast quantities of relief supplies stuck in warehouses in Jordan and Egypt while Palestinians continue to suffer.
Amnesty International has accused Israel of implementing a “deliberate policy” of starvation in Gaza, describing it as part of an ongoing genocide against Palestinians. The rights group criticized Israel for systematically destroying the health, well-being, and social fabric of Palestinian life in Gaza.
Impact on Health and Development
The human body relies heavily on glucose from food for survival. In the absence of adequate food, the body begins to consume its fat reserves, eventually leading to organ failure and death if the starvation persists. Children are particularly vulnerable; malnutrition severely hampers their development and can lead to irreversible damage or death.
Severe malnutrition in children is evident in Gaza, with many displaying symptoms like extreme thinness, sunken eyes, flaky skin, and swollen bellies due to oedema. These are signs of acute malnutrition, which requires immediate treatment to prevent mortality.
How Famine Is Assessed
Famine, the most severe form of hunger, involves not just food shortages but also widespread malnutrition and high mortality rates. According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, a famine is declared when:
- At least 20% of households face extreme food shortages.
- Acute malnutrition affects more than 30% of the population.
- The death rate exceeds 2 per 10,000 people per day.
The situation in Gaza meets these criteria, exacerbated by restricted access for aid agencies and the destruction of health facilities, making it difficult to deliver the necessary humanitarian aid and assess the full scope of the crisis.