UN chief says Gaza residents face severe food shortages

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has said that nearly half a million residents of the Gaza Strip are experiencing severe food shortages.

This statement by Guterres was presented at the Security Council meeting on the Middle East, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

"Nearly half a million people are facing catastrophically acute food shortages," Guterres stated in the message, which was read by his chief of staff, Earl Courtenay Rattray.

The UN Secretary-General also highlighted that the disruption of fuel supplies to the enclave "has dramatically reduced access to water, hygiene products, and health services."

He called on the parties involved in the conflict to "immediately and radically change their behaviour to address these challenges."

The situation in the Middle East escalated sharply after armed supporters of the Palestinian movement Hamas infiltrated Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023.

In response, Israel launched a military operation in the enclave to dismantle the military and political structures of Hamas and to rescue the abducted individuals.