Addis Ababa: UN Secretary-General António Guterres has expressed serious concerns over the increasing use of hunger as a weapon of war in conflict zones such as Gaza and Sudan. In a video message to the UN Food Systems Summit Stocktake in Addis Ababa, Guterres highlighted the dangerous implications of conflict-driven hunger, emphasizing that it fuels instability and undermines peace. “We must never accept hunger as a weapon of war,” he asserted.
According to EMM, the current situation in Gaza has reached alarming levels, with reports indicating that more children have succumbed to hunger. The UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, has expressed hope to gain permission to deliver thousands of trucks filled with essential supplies, including food, medicine, and hygiene products, which have been blocked from entering Gaza by Israel for several months. This statement follows Israel’s recent policy shift to allow a daily humanitarian pause in certain areas from 10 am to 8 pm, as announced by the Israeli army.
The humanitarian pause affects a narrow strip of Gaza, covering regions such as Al-Mawasi, Deir Al-Balah, and Gaza City. On Sunday, a convoy of over 100 trucks loaded with aid entered Gaza through the Kerem Shalom border crossing, marking a significant development amidst the blockade.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has welcomed this progress but highlighted the overwhelming needs on the ground. Tom Fletcher, UN Emergency Relief Chief and head of OCHA, stressed that one in three people in Gaza has not eaten for days, with reports of individuals being shot while seeking food. Fletcher emphasized the urgent need for substantial aid to prevent famine and a health crisis, noting that UN agencies and the humanitarian community remain committed to saving lives.
Israel’s temporary easing of restrictions has allowed for increased aid delivery, with customs restrictions on supplies from Egypt reportedly lifted and secure routes for UN convoys designated. However, Fletcher called for sustained and rapid action, including faster clearances for aid convoys and the establishment of safe routes to avoid crowded areas.
In parallel to these developments, a diplomatic initiative aimed at resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is underway in New York. France and Saudi Arabia have launched a three-day conference advocating for a two-State solution. French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France plans to formally recognize Palestine in September, making it the first G7 nation to do so. This initiative is rooted in a 1947 UN General Assembly resolution that proposed the partition of Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states, leading to the declaration of the State of Israel in 1948.