Over half of Gaza’s population on brink of famine: World Bank

The international organization called for urgent action to save lives.

“We join the international community in calling for immediate, free, and unimpeded access of medical supplies, food and life-essential services through all available means at speed and scale to the people of Gaza,” it said in a statement.

The World Bank Group’s board of directors in December approved the commitment of $35 million in funds to development partners which are active in Gaza, including the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Program (WFP) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

This funds include a $10 million package to the WFP to purchase food parcels and vouchers to reach an estimated 377,000 people.

The head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has also expressed concern about food security in the Gaza Strip.

“The hunger in Gaza serves as a stark reminder of the immense hardships civilians are enduring,” Jagan Chapagain wrote on X, saying, “desperate times call for urgent action.”

Stressing that the hunger serves as a stark reminder of the “immense hardships civilians are enduring,” he added the food crisis in the besieged enclave demands immediate attention and decisive measures.

“An increased, rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian aid is needed to reach those in need – now,” he noted.

“There is barely any food available,” and children are suffering from malnutrition.

Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on the Gaza Strip since an attack by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas last October, which killed nearly 1,200 people.

More than 31,900 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have since been killed in Gaza, and almost 74,000 injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of most food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to ensure its forces do not commit acts of genocide, and guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.