Photo credit: the Korea Herald
The spread of famine has been averted in the Gaza Strip. However, the situation remains critical with the entire Palestinian territory still facing starvation, the world’s leading authority on food crises said Friday.
The Korean Herald reports that a new report by The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, or IPC, comes months after the group said famine was occurring in Gaza City and likely to spread across the territory without a ceasefire and an end to humanitarian aid restrictions.
There were “notable improvements” in food security and nutrition following an October ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war and no famine has been detected, the report said. Still, the IPC warned that the situation remains “highly fragile” and the entire Gaza Strip is in danger of starvation with nearly 2,000 people facing catastrophic levels of hunger through April.
In the worst-case scenario, including renewed conflict and a half of the aid, the whole Gaza Strip is at risk of famine. Needs remain immense, and sustained, expanded, and unhindered aid is required, the IPC said.
The Israeli military agency in charge of coordinating aid to Gaza, known as COGAT, said Friday that it strongly rejected the findings.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry said Friday that it also rejects the findings, saying the IPC’s report doesn’t reflect reality in Gaza and that more than the required amount of aid was reaching the territory.
The ministry said IPC ignores the vast volume of aid entering Gaza, because the group relies primarily on data related to UN trucks, which account for only 20 per cent of all aid trucks.
The IPC said that the report totals include commercial and UN trucks, and its information is based on UM and COGAT data.
Israel’s government has rejected the IPC’s past findings, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calling the previous report an “outright lie.” The report’s findings come as the shaky US-brokered crossfire between Israel and Hamas reaches a pivotal point as Phase 1 nears completion, with the remains of one hostage still in Gaza. The more challenging second phase has yet to be implemented, and both sides have accused the other of violating the truce.
