IDF pushes back against UN warning of ‘imminent famine’ in northern Gaza
Global entities refuse to blame Hamas for looting humanitarian aid in Gaza Strip
After the IPC (Integrated Food Security Phase Classification), an entity funded by several world governments, including the European Union, UKaid, USAID, and the Canadian government, issued another warning of an “imminent famine” in northern Gaza, the IDF and COGAT pushed back against claims that they are withholding aid to the area.
“There is a strong likelihood that famine is imminent in areas within the northern Gaza Strip,” according to the IPC report, published on Nov. 8
The report noted that the IDF “designated all of the northern Gaza Strip as a combat zone and ordered the entire civilian population to evacuate” as of 6 October 2024.
The report quoted from the UN and Médecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), who described people being trapped in the area.
“Nobody is allowed to get in or out; anyone who tries is getting shot,” MSF staff told the IPC. However, the report did not mention that several Gazans who succeeded in evacuating told IDF staff that Hamas was firing on them or beating people trying to follow the IDF’s instructions to evacuate.
The report noted that “shipments are at the lowest level since the start of the war” and that in the second half of 2024, “the average number of trucks entering the Gaza Strip fell to just 58 per day, the lowest level since November 2023.”
The report did not mention the corresponding decline in the civilian population of the northern Gaza Strip, estimated in late October by the UN Office for the Coordinated Humanitarian Affairs to be around 100,000 civilians.
The IPC report referred to the rise in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for food, which has increased dramatically since the start of the war. The IPC, and the UN statement referring to it, declined to give any reasons for the increase in CPI in Gaza.
In addition, various social media accounts by Palestinians in Gaza have shown humanitarian aid supplies, which contain the label, “Not permitted for resale,” being sold in markets in Gaza for significantly increased prices.
World Food Programme humanitarian aid SOLD to Palestinians on the streets of Gaza- despite the boxes being labelled ‘Not for Sale.’ pic.twitter.com/47kzPXqZbn
— Shunya (@Shunyaa00) May 28, 2024
Recent videos from northern Gaza, however, suggest that food is available for purchase in local markets.
Grocery stall in al-Daraj Neighborhood, Gaza City, North Gaza.
— Imshin (@imshin) October 29, 2024
TikTok timestamp: 1 day ago#TheGazaYouDontSee
Link in 1st comment pic.twitter.com/sKzbJ9QCJ8
IDF International Spokesperson Lt.-Col. Nadav Shoshani said the problem is not Israeli restriction of aid entering, but Hamas terrorists looting.
“The problem isn’t the lack of aid entering Gaza, it’s the threat of Hamas looting the aid trucks,” Shoshani wrote on 𝕏.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮:
— LTC Nadav Shoshani (@LTC_Shoshani) November 9, 2024
Since the beginning of last month, 713 aid trucks have entered northern Gaza.
We also announced that we are opening yet another crossing to allow more aid to enter Gaza.
The problem isn’t the… pic.twitter.com/BdLp2mBa0F
On Sunday morning, the IDF and COGAT released a statement regarding a special operation to transfer food into the northern Gaza Strip and to reopen the Kissufim crossing by Nov. 13.
The proposed date on Wednesday meets the 30-day deadline imposed by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, based on their letter to former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
COGAT and the IDF announced that 11 trucks of food, water and medical equipment were brought into the Jabaliya and Beit Hanoun areas in the northern Gaza Strip in the special operation.
In accordance with a directive of the political echelon, and as part of the commitment to transfer humanitarian aid to the northern Gaza Strip, on Thursday, during a tactical coordination operation, 11 trucks containing food, water and medical equipment were brought to the… pic.twitter.com/7kRSKmRbWI
— COGAT (@cogatonline) November 9, 2024
Besides that operation, the military reported that 713 aid trucks have entered the northern Gaza Strip through the Erez West crossing since the beginning of October. The IDF also stated that, in coordination with the World Health Organization (WHO), 220 patients and escorts were evacuated from hospitals in the northern Gaza Strip in October for treatment in other areas.
“The IDF, through COGAT, will continue to operate in accordance with international law in order to allow and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip,” read a statement from the IDF Spokesman’s Office.
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The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel.
