UN Assesses Israel Blocking Access to Humanitarian Aid in the Gaza Strip Despite the Threat of Famine

JAKARTA - A top United Nations official on Sunday accused Israel of continuing to deny UN humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip, with the UN food chief warning a "massive famine" had occurred in the northern part of the enclave of 2.3 million people.

The head of the UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) Philippe Lazzarini on Sunday accused Israel of continuing to deny access to UN aid in Gaza in an effort to avoid famine.

"In just the last 2 weeks, we have recorded 10 incidents involving shooting at convoys, arrests of UN staff including intimidation, stripping them naked, threats with weapons & long delays at checkpoints forcing convoys to move in the dark or be canceled," Lazzarini wrote in social media X, reported by Reuters, May 6.

Lazzarini also called on "Hamas and other armed groups to stop any attacks on humanitarian crossings, refrain from diverting aid, and ensure aid reaches all those in need."

The Palestinian militant group claimed responsibility on Sunday for the attack that closed the main humanitarian aid route to Gaza.

While not a formal declaration of famine, World Food Program Executive Director Cindy McCain said in an interview with NBC News broadcast on Sunday, citing the "horror" on the ground: "There is famine, massive famine, in the north, and it's moving southward ."

On the other hand, Israel continues to step up its efforts to increase aid to Gaza, said COGAT, an Israeli Defense Ministry agency tasked with coordinating aid deliveries to the Palestinian territory.

"In talks between Israeli and UN representatives, including @WFP, neither entity indicated the risk of famine in northern Gaza," COGAT said in a post on X.

"Seeing the situation improve, international organizations stated last week that the volume of goods transported to northern Gaza should be reduced because the amount is too high compared to the population," he continued.

A UN-backed report in March said famine was imminent and possible in May in northern Gaza, and could spread across the enclave by July.

Famine is estimated to occur when at least 20 percent of the population suffers from severe food shortages, with one in three children experiencing acute malnutrition and two in every 10,000 children dying every day from hunger or malnutrition and disease.

UN officials say that generally when famine is officially declared somewhere, it is too late to save many people. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said last week that the most vulnerable groups in northern Gaza "are already dying of hunger and disease."

The UN has complained about the lack of access to humanitarian aid during the seven-month war between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas in Gaza. Guterres said the UN was trying to prevent "completely preventable human-caused famine" in northern Gaza.

As an occupying power, the UN human rights chief said Israel was obliged to ensure the provision of food and medical care to the population, facilitating the work of humanitarian organizations seeking to provide aid.