Catastrophic hunger - 40% of Gaza's population at risk of famine

[Createaplant]

Being reported by the Guardian:

40% of Gaza’s population is at risk of famine, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency said on Saturday.

“Every day is a struggle for survival, finding food and water,” the UN agency for Palestinian refugees added.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2023/dec/30/israel-gaza-war-live-hamas-palestinians-khan-younis-deaths-un-aid-us#:~:text=40%25%20of%20Gaza's%20population%20is,is%20grappling%20with%20catastrophic%20hunger.

Too sad and completely unnecessary. If only adequate aid, food and water was allowed in.

This below is the whole of the COGAT statement which was shown in that Haaretz report about the daily pause for aid:

“As part of our ongoing efforts to increase the volumes of humanitarian aid entering Gaza and following additional related discussions with the UN and international organizations, starting yesterday (Saturday), a local, tactical pause of military activity for humanitarian purposes will take place from 08:00 until 19:00 every day until further notice along the road that leads from the Kerem Shalom Crossing to the Salah al-Din Road and then northwards.”

“This is an additional step in the humanitarian aid efforts that have been conducted by the @IDF and COGAT since the beginning of the war.”

“We will continue to support humanitarian efforts on the ground.”

https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jun/17/netanyahu-reportedly-criticises-military-tactical-pause-in-gaza-amid-divisions-with-idf

I am not an expert in wars or military tactics but is it unusual for an army to make decisions like this without the support or at least consultation with the government? Seems strange that Netanyahu would be unaware of such a big decision and what does it mean

@Dulra curious isn't it?

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce99m0n99z0o

More developments

@Efacsen curious? Positively bizarre.

UN reporting no evidence on the ground of the 'tactical pause'

''There has been information that such a decision has been taken, but the political level says none of this decision has been taken. So for the time being, I can tell you that hostilities continue in Rafah and in the south of Gaza. And that operationally, nothing has changed yet. For the time being, I see nothing which would qualify to the definition of a pause.''

Normally, yes, it is highly unusual for a Sovereign Power's military force to make an operational decision without the knowledge of the Government and/or Head Of Government.

Israeli Basic Law asserts:

"Article 2: Subordination to the Civilian Authorities,” reads: (a) “The Army is Subject to the Authority of the Government,” and (b) “The Minister in charge of the Army on behalf of the Government is the Minister of Defence.”

Rule 40 a makes it clear only the Government can declare war, but rule 40 b has some ambiguity in that some operational decisions don't necessarily need the authorisation of the PM or Minister of Defence. This may explain the above if that actually happened.

Israel has a structure of Government that's quite different to what we might be used to.

In general, the Israeli Government is in charge of the broader strategic decisions and Minister of Defence is in charge of day to day operations. Israel has three decision making forums - government, security cabinet, and war cabinet.

https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2024/6/15/over-50000-children-in-gaza-need-treatment-for-malnutrition-un-says

I heard on the news, or read, that some think Netanyahu did know but was pretending he did not because of those who would be angry about it.

There were dreadfully emaciated children shown as an example of this on Channel 4 News tonight. Thin to the extent of being virtually a skeleton.

There are also some very ill children who are not allowed to leave for treatment elsewhere.

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1802840606768599131.html

President of Refugees International and former lead of Disaster Relief at US AID.

This morning a MSF doctor said on Irish radio that there's no sign of any pause yet, and that previous Israeli commitments to pause bombing/shooting etc to allow aid in haven't materialised either so he's not too hopeful.

That is a shame. I wonder if, following from the news of the pause l the other day, the IDF have been since been commanded by the government not to allow it?

Richard Kemp CBE retired British Army Officer on X

'Columbia University profs: We found that the food supply entering Gaza is more than sufficient to feed all 2.2 million Gazans.'

RK 'Yet the ICC, the UN & other anti-Israel activists perpetuate the lie of starvation. They are the tools of Hamas propaganda.'

https://www.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-806739

That will be comforting for Israeli Jerusalem Post readers.

It's comforting that there are people who speak the truth, yes.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy66w5ppnp7o

RK 'Yet the ICC, the UN & other anti-Israel activists perpetuate the lie of starvation. They are the tools of Hamas propaganda.'

Anyone who utters a sentence like that has a clear agenda.
Just scroll back through the countless articles posted on this thread from numerous sources that demonstrate the lack of humanitarian aid and the difficulties getting aid into Gaza and the details on the humanitarian crisis that is there. I find it pretty distasteful that people are actually out there trying to convince us that children in Gaza are not starving, we are not blind we can see the images for ourselves. You believe whatever you want to believe if it makes you feel better but take your Israeli propaganda elsewhere.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0wwk92zz9ro

Because it’s still as relevant as ever I will post this link again.

Israel are the ones who control the aid, so they need to provide evidence that it is entering Gaza and that they are facilitating safe distribution. Show us the evidence, let independents into Gaza to verify the truth.

‘Instead, and in a move not anticipated by Cohen but which the sociologist in him might have admired, Israel and its supporters have flipped the need for denial to the other side: instead of Israel attempting to show that the atrocities it is committing in Gaza are not in fact taking place, the Palestinians and their supporters find themselves having to prove to the world that things that did not happen actually did not happen − or not in the way Israel says they did. Disproving fabrications is an exhausting business, usefully so from Israel’s point of view. Refutation takes time and often comes too late to undermine what have become entrenched truths.’

https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v46/n02/conor-gearty/short-cuts

Clearly more needs to be done to ensure the safe distribution of aid, and as Israel are occupying Gaza, they are the ones that need to do this.

From the Wall Street Journal.

‘In Gaza, $25 Cigarettes Are Turning Aid Trucks Into Targets’

‘Rampant cigarette smuggling—fueled by high prices for tobacco—has become the latest manifestation of a breakdown in law and order that is slowing the delivery of lifesaving assistance.’

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/in-gaza-25-cigarettes-are-turning-aid-trucks-into-targets/ar-BB1otFEW

Unsurprisingly both authors of that disgraceful article denying the famine have ties to Israel - one is either Israeli or was certainly educated there and the other is on the payroll of the Israeli military. The article is "corroborated" by an Israeli study.