Humanitarian situation now 'beyond catastrophic,' with hunger-related deaths reported among children, warns UN
Community kitchens in Gaza are now producing only about one-third of the daily meals they provided in April, just four months ago, the UN said Monday.
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters that partners on the ground reported that day last week more than 80 community kitchens were able to produce some 380,000 meals each.
"Back in April, the daily tally of community kitchens was more than a million meals each day," he noted.
Dujarric said the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned the situation is now "beyond catastrophic," with more deaths recorded daily amid Israeli attacks and "extreme hunger." "Hunger-related deaths continue to be reported, including among children," Dujarric said.
He said the World Food Program said its teams are doing everything possible to deliver food, but supplies "remain far below standards." Dujarric stressed that to prevent such deaths, humanitarians "must be able to deliver food at scale and consistently through all available crossings and routes."
While welcoming an Israeli announcement lifting a five-month ban on shelter supplies, Dujarric expressed concern that it is linked to Israel's plan to occupy Gaza.
This, he warned, could displace thousands more people into overcrowded southern areas "almost devoid of the most basic infrastructure and services." The UN reiterated it "will not participate in any forced displacement of people."
Israel has killed more than 62,000 Palestinians in Gaza since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave, which is facing famine.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
