Over 1.1 m people in Gaza facing food insecurity: UN

GAZA -- The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Thursday that more than 1.1 million people in the Gaza Strip are facing "an extreme level of food insecurity," as Israel prevents aid from entering the enclave.

The statement, posted on social media platform X, emphasized the need to distribute sufficient food aid via land routes to save lives, especially in the northern areas of the Strip.

However, "access impediments persist, and time is running out," the OCHA said.

Meanwhile, medical sources announced on Thursday the death of a child in the northern Gazan city of Beit Lahia due to famine and lack of available treatment, raising the number of deaths due to malnutrition in the enclave to 30.

Israel has been launching a large-scale offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 were taken hostage.

As a result, the besieged coastal enclave, home to about 2.35 million people, is experiencing difficult humanitarian conditions, amid international warnings of famine.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates warned of the danger of Israel's continuous rejection of implementing the latest UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

In a statement, it called on the UN Security Council to take necessary measures to implement the resolution and achieve an immediate ceasefire, ensuring the protection of civilians and the sustainable entry of humanitarian aid to all areas of the enclave by land, air, and sea.

The statement accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of "exporting his crises to the Palestinian territories, the region, and the world," and using a policy of paying the price in dealing with all parties to mitigate the severity of those crises and prolong his stay.