Britain, France, and Algeria have urgently called for a UN Security Council meeting to address the escalating humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. This initiative comes as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reports that the food crisis in Gaza is the worst documented in its history, with 96% of residents facing severe food insecurity. British Foreign Secretary David Lammy emphasized the need for Israel to protect civilians and facilitate aid access, highlighting the dire situation in northern Gaza where basic services are deteriorating. The FAO revealed that approximately 733 million people globally suffered from hunger in 2023, underscoring the severity of food insecurity not only in Gaza but worldwide, particularly in Africa where one in five individuals is affected.
The FAO's Deputy Director-General, Beth Bechdol, stated that over two million people in Gaza are experiencing daily hunger, with the region classified at emergency levels of food insecurity. She noted that the ongoing conflict has severely damaged agricultural lands, exacerbating the crisis. The call for a UN meeting aims to address these critical issues and seek solutions to ensure food security and humanitarian aid reach those in need.
