Guterres: Gaza on the Brink of Famine

SadaNews - United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated today (Tuesday) that the influx of aid to the Gaza Strip must become "massive like the ocean."

He said, "Supplies of food, water, medicine, and fuel must flow in waves and without obstacles," describing a warning issued today by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification initiative, a global hunger observatory, as confirming "what we feared: Gaza is on the brink of famine."

In a statement, he added, "Palestinians in Gaza are facing a humanitarian catastrophe of horrific dimensions. This is not a warning; it is a reality unfolding before our eyes."

The UN Secretary-General called for "complete and unrestricted humanitarian access throughout the sector." Guterres continued, "We need an immediate and lasting humanitarian ceasefire... this is a test of our shared humanity - a test we cannot afford to fail."

Earlier today, three UN agencies called for the "inundation" of the Gaza Strip with large amounts of food aid to avoid a "widespread famine," as the sector is witnessing the "worst famine scenario" according to a specialized UN observatory. Cindy McCain, Director of the World Food Programme, said in a joint statement with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and UNICEF, "Gaza must be immediately and unobstructedly inundated with large amounts of aid, and this should continue daily to avoid widespread famine."

The main global food security observatory announced today (Tuesday) that the "worst famine scenario is occurring now" in the besieged and devastated Gaza Strip due to the ongoing 21-month war between Israel and Hamas.

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) established by the UN warned that dropping aid over the sector is insufficient to halt the "humanitarian disaster," emphasizing that land-based aid operations are "more effective, safer, and quicker."

For his part, Ross Smith, Senior Advisor for Regional Programs at the World Food Programme's Regional Office for East and Central Africa, stated that he is unable to bring in the necessary amounts of humanitarian aid to Gaza despite new measures taken by Israel to allow more supplies into the sector.

During a media briefing at the UN in Geneva via video, Smith added, "We have not received the necessary permit to transport the quantities we requested."

Smith affirmed that the humanitarian disaster in Gaza recalls the famine witnessed in Ethiopia and Biafra in Nigeria in the last century.

Smith explained, "This is unlike anything we've seen in this century."

He added, "It reminds us of the disasters that occurred in Ethiopia and Biafra in the last century," emphasizing the need for "urgent action."

Dozens of humanitarian aid trucks entered the Gaza Strip from Egypt this morning, according to the "Cairo News" television channel.