The United Nations says more than a half-million people are starving in Gaza because not enough food has entered the besieged territory as Israel keeps up its blistering campaign of airstrikes and ground operations. Palestinian officials said Friday that the death toll has now exceeded 20,000 — around 1% of the territory’s prewar population. The Health Ministry in Gaza does not differentiate between civilian and combatant deaths. Israel says more than 130 of its soldiers have died in its ground offensive after Hamas raided southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing about 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and taking about 240 hostages. Tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians are crammed into shelters and tent camps as winter descends, raising fears about the spread of disease. The U.N. Security Council has again delayed a vote on a new resolution to halt the fighting in some way, which would allow for an increase in humanitarian aid deliveries.
Here’s what’s happening in the war:
Quick Read
- Starvation Crisis in Gaza:
- Affected Population: Over half a million people.
- Cause: Limited food entry due to Israel’s military operations.
- Escalating Death Toll:
- Total Deaths: Over 20,000 Palestinians.
- Percentage: Around 1% of Gaza’s prewar population.
- Reporting: Health Ministry in Gaza does not distinguish between civilian and combatant deaths.
- Israeli Casualties:
- Soldiers Killed: More than 130.
- Context: Following Hamas’ raid in southern Israel on Oct. 7.
- Incident: Killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking about 240 hostages.
- Displacement and Humanitarian Concerns:
- Displaced Palestinians: Tens of thousands in shelters and tent camps.
- Winter Season: Increased risk of disease spread.
- UN Security Council: Delayed vote on resolution to halt fighting and increase aid.
- EU Officials’ Reaction:
- Officials: Josep Borrell and Janez Lenarcic.
- Statement: Deep shock over Gaza’s acute food insecurity.
- Call for Action: Urgent need for humanitarian access to prevent a human catastrophe.
- Assessment: Entire population at risk of famine due to hostilities.
- Health Ministry’s Report on Gaza’s Death Toll:
- Total Deaths: 20,057 Palestinians.
- Context: More than 80% of Gaza’s population displaced.
- Devastation: Extensive destruction across Gaza.
The Associated Press has the story:
UN says 500,000+ starving in Gaza. EU ‘deeply shocked’ over food insecurity risk
Newslooks- BRUSSELS (AP)
Two senior European Union officials said Friday that they are “deeply shocked” at an assessment that the entire population of Gaza is at risk of acute food insecurity because of the Israeli offensive there.
“This is a grave development and should be a wake-up call for the whole world to act now to prevent a deadly human catastrophe,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and Crisis Management Commissioner Janez Lenarcic said in a statement.
“We urgently need continued, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access to avoid a further worsening of an already catastrophic situation,” they said. “The lack of access to basic staples is creating a situation of famine.”
An Integrated Food Security Phase Classification assessment released Thursday said that “hostilities, including bombardment, ground operations and besiegement of the entire population have caused catastrophic levels of acute food insecurity across the Gaza Strip.”
Just over 2 million people usually live in Gaza. About 85% of them are estimated to have been forced to flee their homes.
HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY THE GAZA STRIP DEATH TOLL HAS PASSED 20,000
RAFAH, Gaza Strip — Health officials in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip say more than 20,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war between Israel and Hamas.
The figure, amounting to nearly 1% of the territory’s prewar population, is a new reflection of the staggering cost of the war, which in just over 10 weeks has displaced more than 80% of Gaza’s people and devastated wide swaths of the tiny coastal enclave.
Gaza’s Health Ministry said Friday that it has documented 20,057 deaths in the fighting. It does not differentiate between combatant and civilian deaths. It has previously said that roughly two-thirds of the dead were women or minors.
Currently:
— At least 5 US-funded projects in Gaza are damaged or destroyed, but most are spared.
— Israeli police investigate prison guards in death of a Palestinian prisoner.
— The Israeli military campaign in Gaza now sits among the deadliest and most destructive in history, experts say.
— Find more of AP’s coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war
