Gaza, MINA – Humanitarian organizations have issued dire warnings that Israel’s systematic starvation policy in Gaza could lead to the deaths of approximately 14,000 infants within the next 48 hours if immediate and adequate food aid is not delivered, Palestine Information Center reported.
Despite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu allowing five trucks of food and children’s aid to enter the Gaza Strip, the move was widely dismissed by experts as “a drop in the ocean.”
Tom Fletcher, a UN humanitarian official, said the aid provided falls far below what is needed, citing severe malnutrition and a quarter of a million people suffering from acute hunger.
Fletcher warned in a BBC interview that without urgent intervention, the death toll among infants could surge rapidly. He noted that the aid that entered through the Kerem Abu Salem crossing had not yet reached the civilian population, and although Israel allowed an additional 100 trucks on Tuesday, he feared looting due to growing chaos and desperation.
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Gaza has been under total blockade since March 2, with humanitarian stocks nearly depleted after 79 days of restricted access. Wissam Mushtaha of Oxfam stated that Israel continues to deprive Gaza’s population of essential resources, including food, water, and medicine, while subjecting them to relentless bombardment.
Mushtaha criticized the limited aid as a mere “narrow concession” resulting from international pressure, rather than any genuine progress.
In a significant political shift, the UK, Canada, and France issued a joint statement condemning the humanitarian crisis and threatened sanctions if the blockade persists.
UK Foreign Secretary David Lamy announced the suspension of trade talks with Israel, while France supported a reassessment of the EU-Israel partnership agreement. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barou denounced the ongoing blockade as turning Gaza into a cemetery and violating international law.
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These developments mark a notable change in Western rhetoric, which had largely framed Israel’s actions in Gaza since October 7, 2023, as acts of self-defense.
Calls are mounting from human rights groups and Western lawmakers to halt military and political support for Israel, which currently faces genocide charges at the International Court of Justice.
Oxfam’s policy officer Bushra Al-Khalidi emphasized the urgent need to fully open all crossings to facilitate a lawful and effective humanitarian response. She insisted that symbolic aid convoys are insufficient and reiterated the need for an end to bombings, accountability, and justice to resolve the worsening tragedy. []
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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