Northern Gaza is teetering on the edge of a "full-blown famine," according to Cindy McCain, executive director of the World Food Program. This alarming situation is a result of nearly seven months of conflict between Israel and Hamas, coupled with severe restrictions on food deliveries to the Palestinian territory.
In an interview with NBC News, McCain described the situation as a "horror" that is "moving its way south." She emphasized the urgent need for a cease-fire and an increase in aid, particularly in the northern region. "I’m so hoping that we can get a cease-fire and begin to feed these people — especially in the north — in a much faster fashion,” she said.
The World Food Program has been critical of Israel's restrictions on aid to Gaza. Despite recent efforts to open new routes into the enclave, the organization stressed that "rolling back six months of starvation requires steady flows of food supplies" and "safe, lasting access."
The conflict has also severely impacted Gaza's ability to grow its own food, pushing the enclave to the brink of famine. The Washington Post analysis shows how the Israeli offensive is destroying Gaza’s agricultural capacity.
Meanwhile, a Hamas delegation has arrived in Egypt to continue cease-fire talks. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, on a trip to the Middle East this week, urged Hamas to accept Israel’s latest proposal. Other U.S. officials have warned that this could be the “last chance” to avoid more fighting.
The United States has also put pressure on Qatar, which has hosted Hamas’s political leadership since 2012, to evict the group if it continues to reject a cease-fire with Israel.
The conflict has sparked protests across U.S. universities, with more than 2,300 people arrested in the past two weeks. Similar protests have also taken place in Australia, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, and elsewhere.
The Gaza Health Ministry reports that at least 34,654 people have been killed and 77,908 injured since the war began. Israel estimates that about 1,200 people were killed in Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack, including more than 300 soldiers.
The United Nations and other humanitarian organizations are working to increase aid to the region. USAID Administrator Samantha Power announced a $200 million investment aimed at increasing production of emergency nutritional paste for starving children under 5. However, the delivery of aid remains a challenge due to ongoing conflict and restrictions.
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