The United Nations agency World Food Programme on Tuesday warned about the famine-like humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza as reminiscent of disasters seen in Ethiopia and Biafra, Nigeria in the last century, reported news agency AFP.
"This is unlike anything we have seen in this century," WFP emergency director Ross Smith told reporters in Geneva.
"It reminds us of previous disasters in Ethiopia or Biafra in the past century, " he said, speaking via video-link from Rome. ”We need urgent action now."
The warning came shortly after the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification Initiative (IPC) issued a stark alert, stating that "the worst-case scenario of famine is now unfolding in the Gaza Strip." The IPC’s assessment highlights the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the region.
The IPC, a UN-backed consortium of organisations that monitors malnutrition levels, stressed that "immediate, unimpeded" humanitarian access into Gaza is the only way to halt the rapidly escalating "starvation and death."
"Disaster is unfolding in front of our eyes, in front of our television screens," Smith said.
"This is not a warning: this is a call to action," he added, reported AFP.
Israel enforced a complete blockade on Gaza on March 2 following the collapse of ceasefire talks. By late May, it permitted a limited amount of aid to enter the territory, amid growing warnings of widespread starvation.
The IPC reported that its latest data indicates "famine thresholds" have been reached in "most of the Gaza Strip." While the alert does not constitute a formal famine declaration, it aims to highlight the severity of the crisis using "the latest available evidence" up to July 25, according to AFP
Jean-Martin Bauer, director of food security and nutrition analysis at the World Food Programme (WFP), emphasized the situation, stating, "what we're seeing is mounting evidence that a famine is there," adding, "all the signals are there now."
"This is unlike anything we have seen in this century," WFP emergency director Ross Smith told reporters in Geneva.
"It reminds us of previous disasters in Ethiopia or Biafra in the past century, " he said, speaking via video-link from Rome. ”We need urgent action now."
The warning came shortly after the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification Initiative (IPC) issued a stark alert, stating that "the worst-case scenario of famine is now unfolding in the Gaza Strip." The IPC’s assessment highlights the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the region.
The IPC, a UN-backed consortium of organisations that monitors malnutrition levels, stressed that "immediate, unimpeded" humanitarian access into Gaza is the only way to halt the rapidly escalating "starvation and death."
"Disaster is unfolding in front of our eyes, in front of our television screens," Smith said.
"This is not a warning: this is a call to action," he added, reported AFP.
Israel enforced a complete blockade on Gaza on March 2 following the collapse of ceasefire talks. By late May, it permitted a limited amount of aid to enter the territory, amid growing warnings of widespread starvation.
The IPC reported that its latest data indicates "famine thresholds" have been reached in "most of the Gaza Strip." While the alert does not constitute a formal famine declaration, it aims to highlight the severity of the crisis using "the latest available evidence" up to July 25, according to AFP
Jean-Martin Bauer, director of food security and nutrition analysis at the World Food Programme (WFP), emphasized the situation, stating, "what we're seeing is mounting evidence that a famine is there," adding, "all the signals are there now."
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