United Nations Special Rapporteur on Palestine, Francesca Albanese, has expressed outrage and shock at the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where Israeli attacks have resulted in the deaths of over 38,000 Palestinians and left the majority of the population without access to food or shelter. She questioned the international community’s silence and inaction in the face of this “abominable injustice”, wondering how they can claim to commemorate the victims of other genocides while ignoring the suffering of Palestinians.
According to a recent report by the UN-partnered IPC, an alarming 96% of Gaza’s population – over 2.15 million people – is facing acute food insecurity at a “crisis” level or higher. The UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, Michael Fakhri, echoed Albanese’s concerns, stating that famine has spread across the entire Gaza Strip due to Israel’s intentional and targeted starvation campaign.
Fakhri pointed to the tragic deaths of Palestinian children as evidence of the devastating impact of the crisis. He highlighted the cases of 6-month-old Fayez Ataya and 13-year-old Abdulqader Al-Serhi, who died from starvation. Fakhri emphasized that the death of a child from malnutrition or dehydration is a clear indication that health and social structures have been severely weakened.
He also noted that reports of starvation deaths first emerged from northern Gaza, where a 1-month-old baby named Mahmoud Fattouh and a 10-year-old boy named Yazan Al Kafarneh died in February and March respectively. Fakhri condemned Israel’s blockade and its impact on aid agencies’ ability to deliver assistance to Gaza, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.
The aid agencies have repeatedly reported that Israeli authorities frequently restrict their access to Gaza, making it difficult for them to provide aid to those in need. Fakhri called on the international community to take immediate action to stop Israel’s “genocidal starvation campaign” and prevent further suffering in Gaza.