Gaza's Famine: A Man-Made Moral Indictment

Gaza City and surrounding areas have been officially assessed to be in famine, according to a global hunger monitor. This alarming declaration will heighten pressure on Israel to allow more aid into the Palestinian territory. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) system stated that 514,000 individuals, about a quarter of Gaza's population, are suffering from famine, a figure expected to climb to 641,000 by the end of September.

Primarily affecting the northern region including Gaza City, the famine follows nearly two years of escalated conflict between Israel and Hamas. The IPC noted this is the first recorded famine outside Africa. While Israel has dismissed the report as inaccurate, citing data biases and recent food influx, the IPC highlights extreme shortages, acute malnutrition, and alarming mortality rates.

International reactions have been swift, with U.N. officials and global leaders calling for urgent humanitarian actions to prevent further escalation of the crisis. The famine in Gaza underscores the grave humanitarian catastrophe unfolding, with increasing calls for a ceasefire and ensuring unhindered aid access to affected regions.

(With inputs from agencies.)