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'Full-blown famine' in north Gaza, World Food chief warns
The chief of the United Nations' foodprogram has warned of a "full-blown famine" in northern Gaza and reiteratedcalls for a ceasefire in Israel's war against Hamas.
"There is famine, full-blown famine in the north and it's moving its waysouth," Cindy McCain, executive director of the World Food Program, said in aninterview excerpt published Friday.
"What we are asking for and what we've continually asked for is a ceasefireand the ability to have unfettered access to get in safe... into Gaza --various ports, various gate crossings," McCain continued.
The World Food Program is one of the many humanitarian groups trying to getaid into Gaza, reports BSS.
The World Health Organization said Friday that the availability of food inthe Gaza Strip has very slightly improved, though the risk of famine continuesin the besieged Palestinian territory, which is home to 2.4 million people.
Israel has repeatedly accused the United Nations and nongovernmentalorganizations of not distributing aid quickly enough.
The aid agencies blame the trickle of essential food into the Palestinianenclave on restrictions and inspections imposed by Israel.
The war in Gaza broke out after Hamas's unprecedented October 7 attack onIsrael resulted in the deaths of more than 1,170 people, mostly civilians,according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.
The militants also took around 250 hostages, of whom Israel estimates 128remain in Gaza, including 35 believed to be dead.
Israel's devastating retaliatory campaign has killed at least 34,622 peoplein Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run territory'shealth ministry.