The US State Department said on Friday that Famine is already probably present in some areas of northern Gaza, while other areas are in danger of falling into conditions of starvation.
A US official made his remarks just one day after the world’s top court ICJ, which warned that famine was becoming a fact in parts of Gaza, ordered ‘Israel’ to permit food aid entry into the Gaza city and northern areas, mentioning that the maritime aid corridor would be ready in mid to late April.
“While we can say with confidence that famine is a significant risk in the south and centre but not present, in the north, it is both a risk and quite possibly is present in at least some areas,” a state department official told Reuters.
A report by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, the global authority on food security, asserted that famine was immenmt and likely to occur by May in northern Gaza, and could spread across the entire enclave by July.
In light of famine in the north, the official also stressed that the number of trucks distributing aid in south and central Gaza need to be increased for more than just 200 trucks daily.
‘Israel’ has been facing accusations that it is potentially committing “a war crime” by continuing to block food aid ino Gaza’s population of 2.3 million, preventing UNRWA from delivering aid in the north.
On Thursday a panel of judges at the UN’s top court, which is already considering a complaint from South Africa that ‘Israel’ is committing genocide in the Palestinian territory, issued a unanimous ruling ordering ‘Israel’ to admit humanitarian assistance.
“The court observes that Palestinians in Gaza are no longer facing only a risk of famine … but that famine is setting in,” the judges said.
The head of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, tweeted that the ICJ’s ruling was “a stark reminder that the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip is man made and worsening”.
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