No, this is not The Hunger Games2D it is the reality for families in Gaza. 🍿 For over half a million people across Gaza City, Deir al-Balah, and Khan Younis, hunger is a daily battle after the UN confirmed famine in parts of the Gaza Strip2Dthe first officially declared famine in the Middle East. 🍞😢
The latest food security report warns that at least 20 percent of households face extreme food shortages, 30 percent of children suffer from acute malnutrition, and hunger-related deaths are rising. By September, more than 640,000 people2Daround a third of Gaza's residentscould face catastrophic food insecurity. Fields and farms lie damaged or off-limits, with 98 percent of cropland unusable.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called this a human-made disaster and a living hell, urging action to lift restrictions on aid.
Every day, families queue for hours hoping for flour or canned beans. Hadi, a father of two, reports that he eats one meal a day, saving food for his children. In Gaza City's Zeitoun neighborhood, Umm Ahmed gives her three children mostly flatbread and fears for her five-year-old son's life.
Dr Ahmed Yousef at Al-Shifa Hospital sees dozens of malnourished children daily. With medicines and nutrients scarce, many do not survive. So far, 273 people have died from starvation and malnutrition since last October, including 112 children.
Could this famine alert spark change? Analysts hope it will pressure the international community to ramp up aid and push for a ceasefire. As the occupying power, Israel has obligations under international law to ensure food and medical supplies are allowed through. Safe corridors for aid and a halt to hostilities could still save lives. 🙏🕊️
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
