Food aid coming into Gaza not enough for children
Speaking from Deir el-Balah in central Gaza, Amjad Shawa, director of the Palestinian NGOs Network, says thousands of families are being severely affected by the lack of food and water.
Shawa said Israel has blocked essential supplies such as food, medicine, water, and electricity since the onset of the war. He highlighted that, even on good days, a maximum of 200 trucks bring in humanitarian aid, which is insufficient to meet the needs of the population.
Not even canned food for displaced in Deir el-Balah
People need food. People need meat. Nothing is available. People are telling us that even canned food is not available now.
A few aid trucks have entered with flour, but it’s not reaching everyone. It does not cover the needs of 1.1 million Palestinians in Deir el-Balah right now. People in the northern parts of Gaza are also starving. They are saying there is a new famine, with many unable to find food. There are no vegetables, no fruits.
UNICEF says at least 3,000 Palestinian children are at risk due to malnutrition. Yesterday, according to Al-Aqsa Hospital, an eight-year-old girl died due to malnutrition.
Israel’s destruction of Gaza’s farming, fishing, baking adds to food insecurity: UN inquiry
We’ve been reporting on the independent UN Commission of Inquiry report that found Israeli authorities are responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
The report also found that Israel has “weaponised the withholding of life-sustaining necessities” through the “siege it imposed” on the Gaza Strip.
In a section of the report titled “total siege”, the commission listed a number of causes of food insecurity in Gaza, beyond restrictions and delays imposed by Israeli forces on humanitarian aid supplies at the enclave’s borders.
The causes of food insecurity include:
- Destruction and prevention of local food production, including agriculture, fishing and baking in Gaza.
- Preventing the import of adequate food supplies.
- Dangers faced by humanitarian workers in distributing the limited food supplies available.
- Cutting off water pipelines.
Palestinians walk by the rubble of al-Nuseirat Bakery that was destroyed in an Israeli air strike in Nuseirat refugee camp in the Gaza Strip on October 18
