Gaza Faces Famine: 2.4 Million Residents at Risk as Aid Blocked

In a stark warning issued on 14th May, prominent international humanitarian organisations—including Médecins du Monde, Médecins Sans Frontières, and Oxfam—have sounded the alarm over an impending “mass famine” looming over Gaza, should the relentless blockade continue to deny vital aid at the enclave’s gates.

Concern deepens as the spectre of catastrophe intensifies. Mahmoud Isleem, the dedicated coordinator for Médecins du Monde France within the Palestinian territories, delivered a grave prognosis via a virtual press conference.

“We know that the coming period will be critical,” he declared with urgency. “If the borders of Gaza are not opened swiftly, we risk plunging into a mass famine.”

His plea was clear: “We call for humanitarian corridors without restrictions and an immediate ceasefire to halt this unfolding tragedy.”

For weeks, the United Nations and numerous NGOs have issued stark warnings of dwindling supplies—food, medicine, and fuel—stacked against an already dire backdrop of suffering.

The Gaza Strip, home to approximately 2.4 million residents, teeters on the brink of collapse, with aid now more vital than ever.

Mohammed Saleh, director of the Al-Awda Hospital near Jabaliya, revealed the devastating toll of this blockade.

“Malnutrition issues have worsened significantly over the past two months of Israeli blockage,” he explained.

“Since October alone, we have documented nearly 1,500 cases of malnutrition. If this siege persists, the numbers will escalate, and many lives will be lost to hunger.”

This crisis follows eighteen months of relentless conflict between Israel and Hamas, ignited by the unprecedented Palestinian attack on 7 October 2023.

In response, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that Israeli forces will soon enter Gaza “with all their force,” as the battered and besieged territory faces what the latest IPC (Integrated Food Security Phase Classification) report describes as a “critical risk of famine.”

Oxfam, one of the organisations at the forefront of aid efforts, reports a stark reality:

“We have $2.5 million of humanitarian aid awaiting entry at the Gaza border,” stated Bushra Khalidi, Oxfam’s representative in the Palestinian territories.

“This aid could feed nearly one million people—yet it remains blocked.”

The desperation is palpable, with reports emerging that some residents are resorting to the barbaric act of killing horses for meat, as all other sources of protein—chicken, fish—have vanished.

The aftermath of Israeli bombardments has decimated Gaza’s infrastructure; NGOs estimate that around 90% of the potable water network is now non-functional, forcing inhabitants to rely on contaminated supplies.

This contaminated water has led to a surge in waterborne diseases, compounding the health crisis that continues to spiral out of control.

As the world watches in anguish, the human toll mounts. The continuing blockade, coupled with the threat of military escalation, threatens to plunge Gaza into an unimaginable famine and humanitarian catastrophe.

The call from aid agencies echoes louder than ever: open the borders, deliver aid without delay, and halt this relentless march toward disaster.

© Agence France-Presse

Source: Defi Media