DaysofPal– The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has issued a stark warning that residents of the Gaza Strip are suffering a severe famine after 19 months of continuous conflict, mass displacement, and severe restrictions on humanitarian aid.
In an official statement, UNRWA described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as catastrophic, citing a sharp deterioration in access to food, water, and medical assistance. The agency reported that more than 80% of the population now lives below the poverty line, relying entirely on international aid to survive.
UNRWA emphasized that the blockade on key crossings, especially Gaza’s seaport and the Rafah border crossing, is preventing the entry of essential supplies, including food, medicine, and fuel—worsening the suffering of civilians, particularly children, women, and the elderly.
“We cannot effectively deliver aid as long as unjustified restrictions on humanitarian supplies continue,” said UNRWA spokesperson Marc Lassayce during a press conference.
“The blockade must be lifted immediately to allow the free flow of humanitarian aid and to save lives.”
The agency estimates that over two million people in Gaza are in dire need of humanitarian assistance, with malnutrition cases among children under five rapidly increasing. Field reports have documented instances of families selling furniture and household appliances for food and, in some cases, resorting to eating animal fodder to survive.
UNRWA urged the international community to act immediately to support relief efforts and increase funding. The agency also called on all parties to uphold international humanitarian law and ensure the protection of civilians.
“Famine is no longer a distant threat—it is a looming reality unless urgent action is taken,” Lassayce warned.
These warnings come amid renewed Israeli airstrikes on several areas across the Gaza Strip, which have killed and wounded dozens in recent days, further compounding an already dire humanitarian emergency.
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