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The World Health Organization, Oxfam, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and the World Food Organization stressed that Gaza has turned into an arena of death and hunger, in addition to the spread of diseases, in light of the continued Israeli aggression against the Strip since last October 7.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, "Gaza has become a death zone and the health and humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate."

He added, "We need a ceasefire now, unfettered humanitarian access and the release of hostages."

As for the Director of the World Food Program in the Palestinian Territories, Matthew Hollingworth, he said that "half a million people in Gaza are on the brink of famine."

He stressed in an interview with Al Jazeera that "there is an urgent need for a truce or ceasefire."

He said, "Unfortunately, in the past 25 years, I have worked in various places, and I have witnessed famines, conditions of misery, suffering, and food insecurity, but the level of despair and lack of hope that the people of Gaza are suffering from is something I have never seen before."

Hollingworth added, "We talk about northern Gaza a lot, but the entire Gaza Strip is witnessing this suffering and is also unsafe. Children cannot sleep safely. This is a difficult situation. There is an urgent need for a ceasefire or truce. I don't care what they call it. People need "Cease hostilities so they can take care of their children, and let us deliver aid to them wherever they are in sufficient quantities."

The World Food Program warned of the dangers of a sharp rise in malnutrition rates among children and pregnant and lactating women in the Gaza Strip, and said that food and drinking water have become extremely scarce.

Hollingworth explained that the spread of diseases will increase the incidence of acute malnutrition. He pointed out that 5% of children under the age of two in Rafah suffer from acute malnutrition.

Disastrous situation

For his part, UNICEF regional spokesman Salim Owais said that children in the Gaza Strip face very serious health challenges, represented by high rates of severe wasting and malnutrition, in light of the scarcity of food supplies.

As for Oxfam's media and communications officer, Adriana Zega, she said in an interview with Al Jazeera that the food situation in the northern Gaza Strip has become catastrophic, especially for women and children.

She added that it has become impossible for Palestinians to obtain their human rights, in light of the continuing war and the prevention of entry of humanitarian aid.

Ziga condemned Israel's imposition of restrictions on the work of Oxfam and humanitarian organizations, stressing that hundreds of thousands in northern Gaza are starving and have been cut off from aid.

For her part, Sheena Lu, communications advisor at the Norwegian Refugee Council in Palestine, said that the situation in Gaza is very dangerous, and that people are facing famine, especially in the northern Gaza Strip.

She added in an interview with Al Jazeera that "people in the north are suffering from a lack of food," noting that humanitarian and relief crews are working in difficult security conditions, which hinders the entry of food and relief aid into the sector.

Today, the Palestinian Red Crescent warned of the catastrophic conditions in Al-Amal Hospital in Khan Yunis as a result of its continuation of its siege for the 30th day in a row.

He said in a statement, "The occupation continues to prevent food and medical supplies from reaching Al-Amal Hospital, and is firing around the clock."

He stressed that the hospital suffers from a severe scarcity of medical supplies, medicines, food, and potable water, and said that the lives of dialysis patients and the wounded are in danger as a result of the occupation’s refusal to provide safe passage to transport them.

Source: Al Jazeera