Gazan Residents Grapple with Famine Risks Amid Persistent Crisis of Severe Food Shortages, as per a New Study
Conflict and restricted humanitarian access persistently increase the risk of a severe food crisis across the Gaza Strip, a report states. only the cessation of hostilities along with sustained humanitarian access to the entire region can lessen the chance of a famine happening.
The report predicts that around 96% of Gaza's population, roughly 2 million individuals, are expected to face crisis, emergency, or catastrophic levels of food insecurity up until at least the end of September. Almost half a million residents could experience catastrophic levels, the most severe grade on the IPC scale, where people encounter an extreme shortage of food, starvation, and exhaustion of coping mechanisms.
The report's contents mirror testimonies from those on the ground regarding the dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Over eight months of Israeli bombardment and siege have strained the healthcare system, damaged water infrastructure, and led to appalling living conditions for more than 2.2 million people.
Intensified Israeli attacks in the southern city of Rafah have caused mass displacement and an outbreak of contagious diseases in overcrowded tent camps, where individuals lack basic sanitation facilities. With no apparent signs of an immediate ceasefire, relief workers anticipate the suffering of civilians on the ground to worsen.
The report disclosed that over half of the households in Gaza needed to sell their clothes to afford food, and one-third resorted to scavenging trash to make a living. Nearly half of the population reported not having any food in their homes at times, and more than 20% reported going multiple days without eating.
While there were some improvements observed in the northern part of Gaza in March, resulting in the aversion of a potential famine, the situation worsened in the south following Israel's military operations in Rafah. The Rafah crossing, a critical transit route for humanitarian aid to Gaza, has been closed since early May, and only a handful of other land crossings remain operational. Humanitarian aid workers continue to confront substantial risks to deliver urgently needed aid to Gaza as most of the infrastructure supporting this work has been destroyed during Israel's war against Hamas.
"The humanitarian space in the Gaza Strip continues to shrink and the ability to safely deliver assistance to populations is dwindling," the report stated. "The recent trajectory is negative and highly unstable. Should this persist, the advancements seen in April could be quickly reversed."
The United States, Israel's closest ally, has persistently urged the Netanyahu government to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. US President Joe Biden warned in April that Israel should take immediate, concrete actions or face changes in US policy. However, thus far, no such policy changes have taken place.
"We have seen them take steps that have been beneficial," State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said last week. "When we encounter reports from humanitarian groups, such as the IPC that issues reports periodically, we will examine those. And if necessary changes are required, we will not hesitate to communicate directly with Israel about how they need to make those changes. But we have observed improvements in the aid situation in the north, and a certain stagnation in the south. We want to see this reversed."
Meanwhile, humanitarian workers are expressing concerns about the deteriorating situation in Gaza.
"The population cannot endure these hardships any longer. The cost of military action has been far too high, and we fear without significant alterations to the provision of humanitarian aid, the death toll will rise as people succumb to months of deprivation," said Kate Phillips-Barrasso of Mercy Corps.
"The humanitarian situation in Gaza is worsening rapidly, and the looming threat of famine persists," Phillips-Barrasso told CNN. "Although some aid is getting in, the glaring discrepancies remain. Commercial trucks are permitted to pass, but humanitarian aid is limited, checked at the border, and, when allowed to cross, typically only reaches certain city centers without proper security."
"Upon the backdrop of oppressive summer heat, no access to clean water, and increasing exposure to garbage and sewage, this fatal combination will undoubtedly lead to grave suffering and mortality," she added.
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The Middle East, specifically Gaza, faces a global spotlight due to the severe food shortages and the impending risk of famine. International efforts are necessary to alleviate this crisis, as the world watches the situation unfold.
