In a chilling warning, a committee of global food security experts has sounded the alarm that famine is imminent in northern Gaza as Israel’s military offensive against Palestinian militant group Hamas drags on. The independent Famine Review Committee (FRC) says that without immediate action within days, the “looming catastrophe” will eclipse anything seen in the beleaguered enclave since the current conflict erupted on October 7, 2023.
“Surrender or Starve”: Is Israel Pursuing a Depopulation Plan?
The dire situation in Gaza comes amid allegations from Palestinians, Israeli human rights groups, and even some Israel Defence Forces soldiers that Israel is putting into practice a “surrender or starve” campaign, known as the “generals’ plan”, aimed at driving Palestinians out of northern Gaza. While Israel denies implementing such a strategy, a military official recently told reporters that Israel has “no intention” of allowing Palestinians to return to their homes in the area.
The specter of ethnic cleansing looms large. UN Secretary General António Guterres has suggested that the expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza has only been prevented thus far by their refusal to abandon their homes under intense pressure, and by Arab nations’ resolve not to accept mass population transfers. Though not official Israeli policy, senior defense officials have hinted that with no other alternatives, the government is aiming to annex large swathes of Gaza.
Staggering Civilian Toll as Aid Deliveries Plummet
The human cost of the conflict has been enormous. Over 43,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to local health officials, with the true figure likely much higher as thousands remain buried under rubble. Tens of thousands more have been wounded. A UN analysis of verified deaths found that nearly 70% of those killed have been women and children.
The scale of this looming catastrophe is likely to dwarf anything we have seen so far in the Gaza Strip since 7 October 2023.
– Famine Review Committee
Compounding the crisis, aid deliveries to Gaza have plummeted to their lowest level in a year. The UN has repeatedly accused Israel of hindering and blocking attempts to deliver assistance, particularly to the hard-hit north. While Israel claims Hamas is hijacking aid, the militant group denies this and blames Israel for the shortages.
Famine Thresholds May Have Already Been Crossed
Using the internationally recognized Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) standard, the FRC concluded that famine thresholds, marked by extreme food shortages, high levels of child malnutrition, and soaring mortality from starvation and disease, may have already been breached in northern Gaza. They estimate that 20% of the population is suffering severe hunger, with 30% of children acutely malnourished.
A Ticking Clock and Geopolitical Pressures
The FRC’s warning comes just days before a US-imposed deadline for Israel to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza or potentially face cuts to its annual $3.8 billion in American military aid. US law mandates ending weapons shipments to countries that obstruct the delivery of US-backed humanitarian assistance.
Thus far, however, the Biden administration has done little to enforce its demands that Israel allow more aid in, even reportedly disregarding conclusions from its own agencies that Israel has deliberately blocked food and medicine. As the clock ticks down, geopolitical pressures are mounting on all sides.
An “Apocalyptic” Situation Demanding Urgent Action
Top UN officials have described the situation in northern Gaza as “apocalyptic”, warning that everyone there is at “imminent risk of dying from disease, famine and violence”. The FRC stressed that “immediate action, within days not weeks, is required from all actors who are directly taking part in the conflict, or have influence on its conduct, to avert and alleviate this catastrophic situation.”
As the Gaza Strip teeters on the brink of an unprecedented humanitarian disaster, the world watches anxiously to see if the urgent pleas of food security experts, aid agencies, and diplomats will spur the immediate action needed to pull the besieged enclave back from the precipice of famine and save the lives of countless civilians caught in the crossfire of a brutal conflict with no end in sight.
