Report: 'Strong Likelihood' Famine 'Imminent' in North Gaza
The independent Famine Review Committee (FRC) said on Friday that there's a 'strong likelihood that famine is imminent' in parts of northern Gaza — where an estimated 75K to 95K Palestinians live — as Israel continues its military offensive in the area....
Facts
- The independent Famine Review Committee (FRC) said on Friday that there's a 'strong likelihood that famine is imminent' in parts of northern Gaza — where an estimated 75K to 95K Palestinians live — as Israel continues its military offensive in the area.[1]
- Issuing an alert, the committee warned that immediate action must be taken 'within days not weeks... to avert and alleviate this catastrophic situation.' This comes after the US warned Israel that it had 30 days to increase the amount of aid allowed into Gaza or risk possible restrictions on US military support.[2][3]
- The US called for at least 350 aid trucks to enter Gaza daily, while the UN estimated that, on average, around 71 trucks entered Gaza in October each day.[3]
- Israel, which has also been accused of trying to depopulate northern Gaza, has denied that it's forcibly transferring civilians or blocking aid. It has also refuted recent reports in Israeli media that the military plans to prevent displaced civilians from returning home to the north.[4]
- The UN's human rights office said that 70% of those killed in Gaza over a six-month period were women and children. UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk said Israel had failed to comply with international law, while Israel maintains it has taken steps to minimize civilian casualties.[5]
- Israel said on Friday that it was preparing to open the Kissufim crossing for aid to enter southern Gaza. However, it's unclear how aid crossing into the strip via Kissufim would reach northern Gaza.[6][7]
Sources: [1]Reuters, [2]ReliefWeb, [3]PBS NewsHour, [4]Independent, [5]BBC News, [6]Jerusalem Post and [7]Voice of America.
Narratives
- Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by New York Times. Israel's war against Hamas is undoubtedly just, given the atrocities the group committed during its Oct. 7 attack. However, Israel must take into account the innocent civilians in Gaza who are trapped between Israel's military machine and Hamas' terrorist fighters. Humanitarian aid entering the strip must be significantly increased.
- Pro-Israel narrative, as provided by Jerusalem Post. To eliminate Hamas' capacity for terror and ensure Israel's security, Israel has been forced to use blunt tools to rout out Hamas forces and destroy its military capabilities, as they are deeply dug into Gaza's civil infrastructure. The international community consistently parrots Hamas propaganda, as Israel worked from the get-go to deliver aid to Gaza and find a solution to end this war.
- Pro-Palestine narrative, as provided by +972 Magazine. Israel's true goal in northern Gaza is to starve and exterminate the civilian population so that the region is never inhabited by Palestinians again, paving the way for Israeli settlers. Israeli politicians and military officials have been quite clear about the country's genocidal goals. Yet, the media continues to ignore their campaign of mass extermination that has received the US' full backing.
