The Palestinian Red Crescent Society issued a dire warning on Wednesday, stating that thousands of people in the Gaza Strip are at risk of famine amid the ongoing Israeli offensive. In a statement cited by the official Palestinian news agency Wafa, the Red Crescent highlighted the urgent need for humanitarian aid in Gaza’s northern areas, emphasizing that current airdrop operations are insufficient to reduce hunger levels significantly.
The organization called for the immediate opening of crossings into Gaza to facilitate the entry of much-needed humanitarian assistance across all regions. It also condemned the Israeli army for reportedly targeting relief workers deliberately.
A report released on Tuesday by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) revealed that 96% of Gaza’s population faces “extreme levels of hunger,” with nearly half a million people living in catastrophic conditions. Local authorities in Gaza have also sounded the alarm, indicating that 3,500 children are at imminent risk of hunger due to Israel’s ongoing siege and the closure of aid crossings.
Since the start of the Israeli offensive following the October 7 Hamas attack last year, Israel has faced international condemnation for its actions in Gaza. Over 37,600 Palestinians, predominantly women and children, have been killed, and nearly 86,100 others injured, according to local health authorities.
The conflict has left vast areas of Gaza in ruins, exacerbated by a crippling blockade that has severely limited access to food, clean water, and medicine. Israel is currently facing accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which recently ordered the immediate cessation of its military operations in Rafah. This southern city had become a refuge for over a million Palestinians fleeing the conflict before it was invaded on May 6.–News Desk