More than 100 organisations working primarily in the fields of human rights and humanitarian aid called on governments on Wednesday to take action on the growing famine in Gaza, including demands for an immediate and permanent ceasefire and the lifting of all barriers to humanitarian supplies.
In a statement signed by 111 organisations including Mercy Corps, the Norwegian Refugee Council and Refugees International, the groups warned that mass starvation is gripping the enclave while tonnes of food, clean water, medicine and other supplies remain unused just outside Gaza because humanitarian access is blocked or difficult to obtain.
“While the Israeli blockade deprives Gazans of food, aid workers are now standing in the same lines, risking being shot, to feed their families. With supplies completely depleted, aid workers are watching as their colleagues and partners disappear before their eyes,” the organizations said.
“The restrictions, delays and fragmentation of the Israeli government under a total blockade have led to chaos, hunger and death.”
The organisations called on governments to demand the lifting of all bureaucratic and administrative barriers, the opening of all land crossings, access to all Gazans, an end to military control over aid distribution and the restoration of “principled humanitarian assistance under UN auspices”.
“States must take concrete steps to end the blockade, such as stopping the supply of arms and ammunition.”
Israel, which controls all supplies to Gaza, denies responsibility for the food shortages.
More than 800 people have died in recent weeks trying to get food, mostly in mass shootings carried out by Israeli soldiers stationed near distribution centers of the Gaza Humanitarian Aid Fund. The U.S.-backed fund has been heavily criticized by aid agencies, including the United Nations, for its perceived vulnerability.
Israeli security forces have killed nearly 60,000 Palestinians in airstrikes, shelling and shooting since launching an offensive on Gaza in retaliation for attacks on Israel by the Hamas group in October 2023 that left 1,200 people dead and 251 hostages taken.
Palestinian officials say dozens of people are dying of starvation for the first time since the war began.
Food supplies in Gaza have been depleted since Israel cut off all supplies to the territory in March and then lifted the blockade in May, introducing new measures it says are necessary to prevent aid from being diverted to militants.
The Norwegian Refugee Council told Reuters on Tuesday that its humanitarian aid supplies in Gaza had been completely exhausted and some of its staff were now suffering from hunger, and the group blamed Israel for paralyzing its work.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
