Latest news with #foodshortage
Associated Press
a day ago
- General
- Associated Press
AP PHOTOS: Starving civilians caught in the chaos of food distribution in Gaza
The residents of the Gaza Strip are facing severe shortages of food in the besieged coastal region that has been in the middle of a grinding war for more than 600 days. As hunger grows, hundreds of Palestinians stormed a United Nations warehouse on Wednesday in search of food. A day earlier, a crowd was fired upon while overrunning an aid distribution site set up by a new foundation backed by Israel and the United States. In the chaos that followed the new food aid system in Gaza opening its first distribution hubs, Palestinians carrying bags of flour from the World Food Program warehouse in Zawaida, Central Gaza Strip, showed what they had managed to acquire. In Rafah, in southern Gaza Strip, Palestinians opened boxes containing food and humanitarian aid packages delivered by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a U.S.-backed organization approved by Israel. In Khan Younis, Israeli tanks were seen taking up positions next to an humanitarian aid packages distribution center. Palestinians carried an injured man after he was shot at the center run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. Until last week, Israel kept food and other supplies from entering Gaza for nearly three months as it pressures Hamas over their 19-month war. __ This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
The Independent
a day ago
- General
- The Independent
AP PHOTOS: Starving civilians caught in the chaos of food distribution in Gaza
The residents of the Gaza Strip are facing severe shortages of food in the besieged coastal region that has been in the middle of a grinding war for more than 600 days. As hunger grows, hundreds of Palestinians stormed a United Nations warehouse on Wednesday in search of food. A day earlier, a crowd was fired upon while overrunning an aid distribution site set up by a new foundation backed by Israel and the United States. In the chaos that followed the new food aid system in Gaza opening its first distribution hubs, Palestinians carrying bags of flour from the World Food Program warehouse in Zawaida, Central Gaza Strip, showed what they had managed to acquire. In Rafah, in southern Gaza Strip, Palestinians opened boxes containing food and humanitarian aid packages delivered by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a U.S.-backed organization approved by Israel. In Khan Younis, Israeli tanks were seen taking up positions next to an humanitarian aid packages distribution center. Palestinians carried an injured man after he was shot at the center run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. Until last week, Israel kept food and other supplies from entering Gaza for nearly three months as it pressures Hamas over their 19-month war. __ This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
The Independent
3 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Four Palestinians killed as starving Gazans storm UN warehouse amid spiralling hunger crisis
At least four Palestinians were killed after thousands of starving Gazans stormed a UN World Food Programme warehouse in Deir al-Balah in search of food. Two people were crushed in the chaos and two were fatally shot, although it was not yet clear who had fired the bullets. A Red Cross field hospital said it was treating women and children with gunshot wounds. Video footage captured crowds ripping apart the warehouse and scrambling for flour and supplies. The UN World Food Programme said the humanitarian situation in Gaza had spiralled out of control after almost three months of Israeli blockade, with only limited aid allowed in recently. 'Hordes of hungry people broke into WFP's al-Ghafari warehouse in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, in search of food supplies that were pre-positioned for distribution,' the WFP said, describing the situation as 'alarming and deteriorating'. 'Humanitarian needs have spiralled out of control after 80 days of complete blockade of all food assistance and other aid into Gaza. Gaza needs an immediate scale-up of food assistance. This is the only way to reassure people that they will not starve.' After 11 weeks under complete siege and a continuing Israeli blockade, hunger in Gaza has reached critical levels. Medics and aid workers have reported widespread malnutrition, with UN-run bakeries shutting down due to a lack of cooking gas and food prices soaring beyond reach. Most people are struggling to find enough to eat as the humanitarian crisis deepens. The WFP noted that it had 'consistently warned of alarming and deteriorating conditions on the ground and the risks imposed by limiting humanitarian aid to hungry people in desperate need of assistance'. Israel started allowing limited aid into Gaza last week after the launch of a controversial private aid group backed by the US and Israel known as the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. Bypassing the UN and using US security contractors, the group has set up distribution centres claiming to prevent aid theft by Hamas, an allegation the Palestinian militant group denies. The UN has criticised the group as unworkable and unethical. Palestinian health officials reported that Israeli troops had opened fire at a food distribution site set up by the controversial group in southern Gaza on Tuesday, killing at least three civilians and injuring 48 as large crowds gathered. The foundation dismissed the information as 'totally false'. The UN didn't confirm any deaths in the chaos, but said at least 47 Palestinians had suffered injuries, mostly from gunfire, during the aid distribution.
CNN
3 days ago
- General
- CNN
Hundreds of starving Palestinians storm Gaza food warehouse in deadly incident, says UN agency
A hungry crowd of Palestinians broke into a United Nations warehouse in central Gaza on Wednesday, resulting in at least two deaths and multiple injuries as famine conditions worsen in the Strip. 'Hordes of hungry people broke into the WFP's Al-Ghafari warehouse in Deir Al-Balah, Central Gaza, in search of food supplies that had been pre-positioned for distribution,' the World Food Programme (WFP) said. 'Initial reports indicate two people died and several were injured in the tragic incident.' It is unclear what caused the deaths and injuries. WFP said it is working to verify the exact circumstances, but emphasized the tragedy reflects 'alarming and deteriorating conditions on the ground' directly linked to the aid blockade. Several videos and photos seen by CNN show hundreds of people inside the warehouse, grabbing whatever food items they can find. A man with a bloodied face is seen in a photo as he clutches a bag of flour. The incident at the WFP warehouse underscored the accelerating humanitarian disaster in the besieged enclave. An 11-week Israeli blockade on humanitarian aid has pushed Gaza's population, of more than 2 million Palestinians, towards famine, with the first resumption of humanitarian aid trickling into the besieged enclave last week. 'Humanitarian needs have spiraled out of control after 80 days of complete blockade of all food assistance and other aid into Gaza,' stated the United Nations agency. The warehouse contained vital stocks, including flour intended for systematic aid distribution, now compromised by the desperate act. 'WFP has consistently warned of alarming and deteriorating conditions on the ground and the risks imposed by limiting humanitarian aid to hungry people in desperate need of assistance,' it said. 'Gaza needs an immediate scale-up of food assistance. This is the only way to reassure people that they will not starve,' it added. UNRWA Public Information Office in Gaza called it an 'unfortunate incident' at the WFP warehouse, saying, 'Sadly, once again, people are being forced to take desperate measures as a result of the ongoing Israeli blockade on the entry of food and supplies into the Gaza Strip.' Wednesday's looting comes a day after chaos broke out at an aid distribution site in Gaza run by a controversial US-backed group as thousands of desperate Palestinians rushed to receive food supplies, with Israeli troops firing warning shots into the air and the US contractors overseeing the site briefly withdrawing. Palestinian health officials said one person had been shot dead and 48 wounded during Tuesday's incident.
ABC News
4 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
Could a famine in Gaza be the tipping point for the West?
News out of Gaza has gone from bad to worse with acute food shortages and growing concern of a famine. So are attitudes from Israel's Western allies starting to change? And will a change in attitude lead to concrete action? And last week we were talking about poison pen letters and we've heard lots of great stories. We go through our favourites. Plus a little treat from our Sydney live show. SHOW NOTES Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova profile
