Israeli assault has caused ‘apocalyptic’ situation in northern Gaza, UN warns: Key officials say entire population of northern Gaza ‘at imminent risk of dying from disease, famine and violence’

Smoke rises following an Israeli bombardment of Beit Lahia in northern Gaza on Friday. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images

The situation in the northern Gaza Strip is “apocalyptic” as Israel pursues a military offensive against Hamas militants in the area, top United Nations officials have warned.

“The entire Palestinian population in north Gaza is at imminent risk of dying from disease, famine and violence,” they said in a statement on Friday signed by the heads of UN agencies, including the UN children’s agency Unicef and the World Food Programme, and other aid groups.

Israel began a wide military push in northern Gaza last month. The United States has said it was watching to ensure that its ally’s actions on the ground show it does not have a “policy of starvation” in the north.

But on Friday, the UN officials said humanitarian efforts could not keep up with the scale of the needs in northern Gaza, due to constraints on access for aid workers.

“Basic, life-saving goods are not available. Humanitarians are not safe to do their work and are blocked by Israeli forces and by insecurity from reaching people in need,” they said.

They urged all parties fighting in Gaza to protect civilians and called on Israel to “ceases its assault on Gaza and on the humanitarians trying to help”... READ MORE  https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/nov/01/un-northern-gaza-israel

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