GAZA — The
Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) has issued a warning about
the escalating risk of famine in the Gaza Strip. This risk continues to grow
each day if the current situation persists, according to a statement from the
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
اضافة اعلان
The UNICEF
report reveals that more than half a million people, equivalent to at least one
in every four households in the
Gaza Strip, are facing catastrophic levels of
acute food insecurity, marking the highest level of alert, Al-Mamlaka TV
reported.
The report
emphasizes that these man-made catastrophic conditions are both predictable and
preventable. They mean that children and families in the Gaza Strip are
currently contending with violence from the air and land deprivation, with the
alarming possibility that the worst may be yet to come.
Emergency levels of food insecurity
Approximately
1.2 million people are currently experiencing emergency levels of acute food
insecurity, surpassing the thresholds for famine due to acute f
ood insecurity.
In essence, this signifies that the risk of death from hunger has become a
harsh reality for many families in Gaza.
These
findings indicate that all children under the age of 5 in the
Gaza Strip (335,000 children) face a high risk of severe malnutrition and preventable
death, compounded by the escalating threat of famine.
UNICEF
estimates that in the upcoming weeks, at least 10,000 children under the age of
5 will suffer from one of the most severe forms of malnutrition, known as
severe acute malnutrition, necessitating therapeutic food.
This
unacceptable risk comes at a time when food and health systems in the Gaza
Strip are experiencing a complete collapse. Over 80 percent of young children
are grappling with severe malnutrition, and more than two-thirds of hospitals
are non-operational due to a shortage of fuel, water, and vital medical
supplies or catastrophic damage resulting from attacks.
"We are
particularly concerned about the nutrition of over 155,000 pregnant and
lactating women, as well as more than 135,000 children under the age of two,
due to their specific nutritional needs, which are exacerbated by tension and
shocks."
However,
most crucially, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification report
emphasizes that these conditions should not persist. It remains possible to
avert the famine warning issued yesterday in the coming weeks and months.
Immediate action is imperative.
UNICEF
states in its report that it "requires an immediate and permanent humanitarian
ceasefire, enabling humanitarian actors to support the enhancement and
restoration of basic services throughout the Gaza Strip.
This will
allow the most vulnerable children to meet their basic nutritional and health
needs." This includes the provision of infant formula, nutritional
supplements, and ready-to-use therapeutic foods for the early prevention,
detection, and treatment of severe malnutrition, as well as water, medical
supplies, and fuel. Additionally, trade movement needs to be resumed.
The report
underscores the need to restore vital infrastructure, including hospitals, to
ensure that young children, pregnant women, and sick patients can safely access
life-saving treatment and care.
UNICEF calls
on all parties to fully and immediately respect international humanitarian law,
including the principles of distinction and proportionality. It urges them to
take all necessary precautions to protect civilians, release all hostages, and
fulfill their commitments to ensure the protection and assistance of children.
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