Addis Ababa: Amid escalating hunger crises in Gaza and Sudan, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has condemned the use of hunger as a weapon of war. He highlighted the growing issue of conflict-driven hunger in a video message to the UN Food Systems Summit Stocktake in Addis Ababa, emphasizing that hunger fuels instability and undermines peace.
According to United Nations, reports have emerged of more children succumbing to hunger in Gaza, prompting the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, to express hope for permission to deliver critical aid. Thousands of trucks loaded with food, medicine, and hygiene supplies have been blocked from entering Gaza for months. A recent policy shift by the Israeli army introduced a daily humanitarian pause in specific areas, potentially allowing for aid delivery. The situation has been dire since March 2, when Israel imposed a near-total blockade, leading to increased child malnutrition.
A map from Israeli authorities indicates the humanitarian pause affects a narrow strip of Gaza, including Al-Mawasi in the southwest, Deir Al-Balah in the center, and Gaza City in the north. On Sunday, over 100 trucks carrying aid reportedly entered the Strip via the Kerem Shalom border crossing.
While welcoming the aid convoy, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) emphasized the immense needs in Gaza. Tom Fletcher, UN Emergency Relief Chief and head of OCHA, revealed that one in three people haven't eaten for days, and the situation on the ground is dire, with children wasting away and people being shot while seeking food.
Fletcher acknowledged progress on aid delivery but stressed the urgent need for vast amounts of aid to prevent famine and a catastrophic health crisis. He urged for sustained action, faster clearances for convoys, and secure routes for humanitarian deliveries to avoid further tragedies.
In parallel to the aid efforts, a diplomatic initiative was launched in New York by France and Saudi Arabia to promote a two-State solution between Israel and the Palestinian people. The initiative coincides with President Emmanuel Macron's announcement that France will formally recognize Palestine in September, marking a significant move by a G7 nation. The historical context dates back to a 1947 UN General Assembly resolution that established the partition of Palestine into two States, leading to the declaration of the State of Israel in 1948.