UN warns of imminent food crisis in northern Gaza without increased aid

The World Food Program (WFP) has warned that it will run out of food supplies for the hundreds of thousands of people in northern Gaza within a week and a half unless Israel allows a significant increase in aid deliveries. The situation in northern Gaza has worsened rapidly as Israel has intensified its military offensive and blocked UN aid for two weeks, according to the head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees.

Even before these restrictions, aid groups highlighted that around 400,000 people remaining in the area were already experiencing severe food insecurity, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

In response to the escalating humanitarian crisis, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin have communicated to Israeli officials that US military aid could be jeopardized if Israel does not take action to improve humanitarian conditions within the next month.

Antoine Renard, the WFP’s director in Palestine, noted that supplies would run out much sooner than 30 days, stating that without increased aid, the program would cease providing hot meals in about a week and would exhaust its bread supplies in a week if deliveries do not increase dramatically. He described the current operations as unsustainable and expressed the dire need for consistent access to food.

While Israel denies it is restricting aid, its agency overseeing aid and shipments stated that 50 trucks carrying food and medical supplies from Jordan were sent to northern Gaza. However, Renard emphasized that the quantity received was insufficient, with only 12 trucks of wheat flour available for a population in need.

Residents have described recent conditions as some of the worst experienced in the past year, with extreme shortages of food and resources. Meanwhile, Israeli human rights groups have raised concerns about a potential plan to compel civilians to evacuate northern Gaza, leading to fears of a total siege on those who remain. Blinken and Austin urged Israel to ensure no forced evacuations occur and called for at least 350 trucks of aid to be allowed in daily.

By Vafa Guliyeva