The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached terrifying new lows, with half the population now estimated to be starving. Almost nothing has been able to enter Gaza since Israel launched its massive assault on the Strip on 7 October. The United Nations has warned that the situation will continue to deteriorate without an immediate ceasefire and has called for an unconditional one. The Security Council is expected to vote later today on a draft resolution that includes a call for a complete cessation of hostilities, the release of all Palestinian hostages, and unfettered and equitable access for international relief agencies.
Despite an agreement to allow more food into Gaza, only 10 percent of the needed supplies have entered, and supplies are running out fast. A fuel shortage has forced the UN World Food Programme to close its final bakery in Gaza, halting production for now. The agency says that bread is the most critical food source for many people in Gaza and is essential to prevent malnutrition.
With most of the 2.3 million residents in Gaza now displaced from their homes, living in cramped shelters that lack adequate sanitation and water, the disease is spreading rapidly. Overcrowding, coupled with a lack of access to sufficient food, medical treatment, clean drinking water, and other basic needs, is creating the ideal conditions for epidemic diseases such as diarrhea and vomiting to take hold.
In addition, water restrictions are causing severe water shortages for cooking and cleaning and leaving only a tiny amount for drinking. Families are unable to bathe regularly, leading to severe skin problems. Some children are also suffering from lice and other parasites in their hair. Oxfam says the current situation is nothing short of horrific, and there can be no justification for using hunger as a weapon in this war.
The UN General Assembly is set to vote on Tuesday on a resolution that calls for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the two-month-old conflict between Israel and Hamas. It’s the second such resolution in a week, but like the previous one, it did not condemn Hamas for its attacks on Israel. Both Israel and the U.S. criticized that absence.
The current resolution, sponsored by the Philippines, would also call for an immediate ceasefire and the release of all Palestinian hostages. The United States, which has already voted against the resolution twice this month, will likely vote against it again, though it might abstain. The text does include a clause calling on Israel to comply with its obligations as a member of the international community, including respecting the law of armed conflict. It was co-sponsored by the United Kingdom and France. Both have been vocal critics of Israel’s offensive on Gaza, and the U.S. has in the past vetoed resolutions that criticize it. The resolution is expected to pass with a clear majority, though it could face stiff opposition from Russia and China.