UNRWA Chief Fears Malnourished Children Could Die in Gaza Offensive

UNRWA Chief Fears Malnourished Children Could Die in Gaza Offensive
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The head of the UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, has voiced concern that malnourished children in Gaza City could die during an ongoing Israeli military operation if emergency aid is not provided, Al Arabiya English reported.

According to Lazzarini, UNRWA data indicates a six-fold increase in the number of malnourished children in Gaza City since March. At a press club meeting in Geneva, he stated that the population is “extremely weak” and many people would not have the strength to survive another displacement. He also characterized the situation as a “manufactured and fabricated famine” and claimed that “food has been used as an instrument of war.”

While a global hunger monitor reported in May that half a million people in the Gaza Strip were facing starvation, it did not officially declare a famine. The article also notes that COGAT, Israel’s military agency for coordinating aid, has previously denied restricting supplies and has stated that it works to ensure aid reaches Gaza.