“Weaponised Hunger”: UN warns of catastrophic situation in Gaza

By Paul Dada

The top UN humanitarian official in Palestine, Jonathan Whittall, says hunger is being “weaponised”  by Israel in Gaza as civilians are being killed daily while trying to access food, water and medical care.

Whittall,  the head of the UN humanitarian coordination office (OCHA) in Gaza and the West Bank, while speaking to journalists, said,  “The attempt to survive is being met with a death sentence…Since Israel eased its total blockade last month, more than 400 people are reported to have died trying to reach food distribution points.

“We see a chilling pattern of Israeli forces opening fire on crowds gathering to get food,” Mr. Whittall said, noting many of these sites are in militarised zones. Others have been killed along access routes or while protecting aid convoys.

“It shouldn’t be this way…There shouldn’t be a death toll associated with accessing the essentials for life.”

Adding, he said, “Our warehouses stand empty… “Displaced families flee with nothing – and we have nothing to give them.”

According to the UNICEF, more than 110 children are being treated for malnutrition every day but Whittall said humanitarian agencies were capable of reaching every family.

However, he said, “We have a plan…but we are prevented from doing so at every turn.”

“We need a lasting ceasefire, accountability, and real pressure to stop this. This is the bare minimum,” he said.