“Silence in the face of suffering and injustice is not neutrality, it is complicity,” he wrote. “Shutting down discussion on the starvation of the Palestinian people weakens the reputation of the organisation and the legitimacy of our mandate. Being true to our mandate calls for a frank and open discussion around starvation, famine, and genocide in Palestine and elsewhere.” Benjamin Davis, Former UN food agency official claims he was fired for highlighting hunger in Gaza

Benjamin Davis appealing against dismissal from FAO, after being accused by director general of playing ‘political games’

Julian Borger in Copenhagen

Tue 6 Oct 2026   THE GUARDIAN 

 Palestinian women and children queuing to receive food from a charity in Gaza City in February. Photograph: Ahmed Jihad Ibrahim Al-arini/Anadolu/Getty Images 

Benjamin Davis had worked for the FAO for 26 years before his dismissal. Photograph: Giuseppe Carotenuto/FAO

A former senior UN food agency official has alleged he was fired last week for his work highlighting hunger in Gaza, and has launched an appeal against his dismissal.

Benjamin Davis said the leadership of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) had refused to renew his contract as director of its rural transformation and gender equality division because his team had published a brief on hunger in Gaza and held a seminar on the subject last year, and because he had taken part in weekly “moment of silence” vigils on FAO grounds for those killed.

The seminar on hunger in Gaza last September triggered a complaint from the Israeli mission to the FAO, which also sent a diplomat to take pictures of staff taking part a moment of silence gathering last October, according to a FAO staff report filed at the time.

Davis, 62 and a Spanish-American dual citizen, left the FAO last week after 26 years of service. Video of the event shows FAO staff standing and applauding him as he left the Rome headquarters for the last time.

“It’s a nice feeling that I’m not alone, that other people are behind me in this,” Davis said. “I was stopped constantly in the hallways by people, even those that I didn’t know, just to shake my hand or just to thank me or just to say that they supported me or that they were upset.”

The FAO did not respond to the Guardian’s request for comment on Monday, but the organisation’s director general, Qu Dongyu, appeared to refer to Davis’s dismissal in public remarks last Tuesday, in which he threatened to fire more people for what he deemed to be political activism.

“We are not going to allow you to play the game here of human rights,” said Qu, a veteran Chinese agronomist. “Of course human rights are very important, but they have a human rights agency in Geneva. If you want to take care [of human rights], go there.”

“Thats why [when] some senior members play political games here, I fire him,” he said, suggesting that Davis had violated staff regulations. “I’m a very soft person. I didn’t fire that many. I’m going to use my last year … to fire more if they’re against the law.”

Davis said he and fellow FAO staff members had been stunned by Qu’s remarks.

“Even more than the threat about firing people was just what he said about human rights. I think that really shocked people because it undermined the foundations of why we’re here basically, or why FAO is part of the United Nations and why the United Nations exists,” he said.

“We’re surely an organisation which is based on human rights, right?” Davis added, pointing to the FAO slogan: “Leave no one behind.”... READ MORE  https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/06/former-un-food-agency-official-fao-benjamin-davis-hunger-gaza?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

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"My suffering, though severe, was never compounded by denial. The world around me was structured to keep me alive. That distinction matters. Because elsewhere, at this very moment, there are people whose hunger is not the byproduct of illness—but the result of policy. Of decision. Of design. In Gaza, and within the walls of Israeli prisons, hunger is not incidental. It is imposed..." Hunger, By Design By Mike Odetalla

Mike Hanini Odetalla

Hunger, By Design
By Mike Odetalla

At the height of my cancer treatment, I lost 60 pounds in less than two months.
Not by choice. Not by neglect. But because I simply could not eat.

Every swallow felt like fire. Every attempt at nourishment became a negotiation with pain. My body, once familiar, began to disappear before my own eyes—reduced not by lack of food, but by my inability to take it in. I didn't recognize the person looking back at me in the mirror.

And yet, even in that darkest stretch, one truth remained constant:

Food was there.

It sat within reach. Prepared. Available. Waiting for me, even when I could not accept it. Doctors urged me. Nurses monitored me. My suffering, though severe, was never compounded by denial. The world around me was structured to keep me alive.

That distinction matters.

Because elsewhere, at this very moment, there are people whose hunger is not the byproduct of illness—but the result of policy. Of decision. Of design.

In Gaza, and within the walls of Israeli prisons, hunger is not incidental. It is imposed.

There, food is not something a patient struggles to swallow—it is something withheld. Rations are restricted. Access is controlled. Malnutrition spreads not because bodies fail, but because systems ensure they do.

I know what it feels like to weaken. To feel your strength slip quietly away. To measure your days not in hours, but in ounces lost and energy drained.

But I also know this: My suffering existed within a system trying—however imperfectly—to save me.

Theirs exists within a system that does not. 

That is the difference between illness and injustice.

Between misfortune and intention.

Between hunger… and hunger used as a weapon.

And once you understand that distinction, you cannot unsee it.

 https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10165923688376977&set=a.10150390714236977

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“For 80 years, we have worked to forge peace, tackle poverty & hunger, advance human rights & build a more sustainable world – together.” On Friday's #UNDay, @antonioguterres urges people to unite & fulfil the extraordinary promise of the United Nations... The creation of @UN was the result of a global commitment to “save succeeding generations from the scourge of war." 80 years later, the UN remains essential for advancing peace, prosperity & human rights. #UN80

 United Nations

@UN

 

“For 80 years, we have worked to forge peace, tackle poverty & hunger, advance human rights & build a more sustainable world – together.” On Friday's #UNDay,  @antonioguterres urges people to unite & fulfil the extraordinary promise of the United Nations.

 

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https://www.un.org/en/observances/un-day/message  

 

Secretary-General's message (2025)

“We the peoples of the United Nations...”

These are not just the opening words of the United Nations Charter – they define who we are.

The United Nations is more than an institution.  It is a living promise – spanning borders, bridging continents, inspiring generations.  

For eighty years, we have worked to forge peace, tackle poverty and hunger, advance human rights, and build a more sustainable world – together.

As we look ahead, we confront challenges of staggering scale: escalating conflicts, climate chaos, runaway technologies, and threats to the very fabric of our institution.

This is no time for timidity or retreat.  

Now, more than ever, the world must recommit to solving problems no nation can solve alone. 

On this UN Day, let’s stand together and fulfil the extraordinary promise of your United Nations.

Let’s show the world what is possible when “we the peoples” choose to act as one.

 

United Nations Geneva

@UNGeneva

 

The creation of @UN was the result of a global commitment to “save succeeding generations from the scourge of war." 80 years later, the UN remains essential for advancing peace, prosperity & human rights. #UN80   

 

The original manuscript of the United Nations Charter

The $2.7 trillion question - what is the true cost of security? | A new report by the United Nations Secretary-General explores how rebalancing military spending for a sustainable and peaceful future can furnish the security we need.

 

War, conflict, and crisis. 

For ten years, the world has been shaken by inequalities, climate chaos and rising tensions. 

Against this backdrop, military spending reached a record $2.7 trillion last year. 

This choice has a steep cost. It moves us away from diplomacy. It drains money from vital areas like ending hunger and poverty. 

A new report by the United Nations Secretary-General explores how rebalancing military spending for a sustainable and peaceful future can furnish the security we need. 

 The report shows a stark choice: continue to fund militaries or invest in sustainable development to build a future that is truly secure for everyone

. 

United Nations

“The world is spending far more on waging war than on building peace.” The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Sept. 2025: The true cost of peace [& the CRUCIAL IMPORTANCE of] Rebalancing world military spending for a sustainable and peaceful future

“The world is spending far more on waging war than on building peace.”

@antonioguterres

as new UN report reveals global military spending hit a record $2.7 trillion in 2024.

 

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https://www.un.org/en/peace-and-security/the-true-cost-of-peace

The true cost of peace

Rebalancing world military spending for a sustainable and peaceful future

Global military spending is soaring, fueling a new arms race and placing immense pressure on national budgets and priorities.

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, a staggering $2.7 trillion was spent on militaries in 2024. This marks a more than 9 per cent jump from the previous year—the steepest increase since the Cold War and the tenth consecutive year of growth.

The Cost to Sustainable Development and Peace

This unprecedented military spending surge is occurring as global security deteriorates and progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—the world's blueprint for a more equitable future—is falling short. In response, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has released a new report, The Security We Need: Rebalancing Military Spending for a Sustainable and Peaceful Future.

The report offers a stark warning: if current trends persist, global military spending could reach $4.7 to $6.6 trillion by 2035. A $6.6 trillion annual military budget would be nearly five times the level at the end of the Cold War and more than twice of what was spent in 2024.

This trajectory of accelerated militarization poses a serious threat to humanity's future by diverting critical resources from sustainable development and peace-building initiatives.

The Security We Need

Rebalancing Military Spending for a Sustainable and Peaceful Future

Global military spending is rising significantly across all regions driven by escalating geopolitical tensions, conflicts and perceived security threats. But does increasing military spending truly guarantee security? No, it often fuels arms races, deepens mistrust among countries and further destabilizes international relations.

The Secretary-General’s report, as requested by UN Member States in the 2024 Pact for the Future, examines the difficult trade-offs presented by the increasing global military spending, making a powerful case for investing in peace and in people's futures.

It proposes a shift towards a human-centered and multidimensional approach to security, one that prioritizes diplomacy, cooperation, sustainable development and disarmament over military build ups.

The $2.7 trillion question

War, conflict, and crisis. For ten years, the world's answer has been defense, with military spending reaching a record $2.7 trillion last year.

This choice has a steep cost. It drains money from vital areas like ending hunger and poverty. A billion dollars spent on the military creates jobs, but the same money invested in education creates more than double the opportunities.

The path forward is clear. We can continue to fund conflict, or we can invest in sustainable development to build a future that is truly secure for everyone.

Investing in humanity, not arms

Breaking down the global military spending

 

https://www.un.org/en/peace-and-security/the-true-cost-of-peace

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"If countless photos of starving, skin-and-bone children, elderly people, HUMANS in Gaza haven’t appeal to the world, maybe a before-and-after of animals will? . This is Tom, my cat, before Israel’s genocide, and just moments ago, in the midst of its deliberate, systematic starvation campaign" Maha Hussaini

 

Maha Hussaini's cat Tom when there was still food in Gaza- before Israel's genocide

 

Maha Hussaini's cat Tom just moments ago, in the midst of Israel's deliberate, systematic starvation campaign.

Maha Hussaini

@MahaGaza

If countless photos of starving, skin-and-bone children, elderly people, HUMANS in Gaza haven’t appeal to the world, maybe a before-and-after of animals will? 

This is Tom, my cat, before Israel’s genocide, and just moments ago, in the midst of its deliberate, systematic starvation campaign.

Since 2 March, Israel has completely sealed Gaza’s borders, blocking the entry of goods and international aid. A few weeks ago, it imposed a US-backed aid distribution mechanism with 4 designated points where Palestinians are gunned down as they approach in search of food

Almost every child in Gaza is now suffering from some form of malnutrition. We have been documenting a growing number of deaths among infants, children, and the elderly due to severe, prolonged hunger

Urgent appeal: The catastrophic situation in Gaza, a people starving to death amid global silence... OPEN THE GATES!

Palestinians, including children, who are struggling to access food due to Israel’s blockade and ongoing attacks on the Gaza Strip, wait in line to receive hot meals distributed by the charity organization in Gaza City, Gaza on July 16, 2025. [Ahmed Jihad Ibrahim Al-arini – Anadolu Agency]

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20250719-urgent-appeal-the-catastrophic-situation-in-gaza-a-people-starving-to-death-amid-global-silence/

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• 

  by Fatima Skaik

While the world speaks of human rights, food security, and global peace, an entire population is left to face death by starvation, thirst, and disease without any real intervention to save them. Gaza—that small strip of land under siege for years—is now enduring the worst humanitarian catastrophe of the modern era. Hunger is no longer just a word heard in news reports; it has become a daily reality crushing thousands of families. Children, pregnant women, the sick, the elderly… all are at risk of slow death due to the suffocating blockade, severe food shortages, and astronomically inflated prices. This is not an exaggeration but a testimony from the heart of the disaster.

Real hunger: When a bite of food becomes a dream

“We are literally dying of hunger”—this phrase is not mere drama but the bitter truth lived by every resident of Gaza today. Markets are empty, prices have multiplied tenfold, and even if someone has money, there is simply nothing left to buy.

• The food crisis: A kilo of flour that once cost 5 shekels now sells for 200 shekels (approximately $65)—if it can even be found! Rice, sugar, oil, milk, medicine… all are either unavailable or sold at outrageous prices. Families are forced to reduce their meals to one per day, often relying on bread mixed with grass or scraps of food from any source.
• Children and women: The first victims: UN reports warn that 90% of Gaza’s children suffer from acute malnutrition. Pregnant and nursing women cannot find enough to feed themselves—how can they nourish their babies? Hospitals report repeated miscarriages due to starvation, and children dying from dehydration or extreme weakness.

Collapse of security: When hunger turns into crime

With food security shattered, societal security collapses. Hunger drives people to despair, and despair breeds dangerous behavior.

• Surge in theft: Theft is no longer a condemned crime but a “means of survival.” Children steal bread from one another, families loot shops after closing hours, and even humanitarian aid is stolen before reaching those in need.
• Women’s safety at risk: “As a girl, I’m afraid to walk the streets alone without a man beside me”—this testimony reflects the extent of the deterioration. Fear of physical assault or robbery has become a daily obsession, especially with gangs exploiting the chaos.

READ: Without punitive measures, the EU rewards Israeli colonialism, genocide and violence

The siege and the world’s conscience; where is humanity?

The disaster in Gaza is not natural—it is man-made. The 17-year blockade, restrictions on food and medicine, the deliberate destruction of infrastructure… all are systematic policies to break the will of a people.

• Arab and world powers: A suspicious silence: While Gaza starves, the world watches. International organizations settle for issuing “concerned” reports, and Arab nations drown in their own conflicts. Even humanitarian aid is blocked or delayed under political pretexts.
• Media misrepresentation: Some media outlets portray the crisis as a “natural economic hardship,” ignoring that its root cause is the deliberate siege and blockade.

A cry for help; do not let Gaza die

This is not the time for words alone—but for action. Every passing minute brings Gaza closer to the abyss.

• Urgent demands:
  1. Permanently open crossings and allow unrestricted entry of food and medicine.
  2. Global and grassroots pressure on governments to break the siege.
  3. Immediate humanitarian safety nets to distribute food to the most vulnerable families.
  4. Hold accountable all those responsible for this suffering as war criminals.
• A message to humanity’s conscience: If the world knows how to donate to stray cats and dogs, how can it stay silent as innocent children die? How can anyone sleep while a person in Gaza perishes for lack of a loaf of bread?

Conclusion

Gaza reminds the world every day that humanity is on trial. This is not a political issue—it is a matter of conscience. History will record whether our generation witnessed genocide in silence or stood against it. Choose to be on the right side.

On World Food Day, we are reminded that food is so much more than just what we eat... 16 Pictures of the World's Kitchens Show the Hearts of Homes

Photograph by Ed Kashi, National Geographic

Prayer for Protection
A four-year-old boy prays for his father, who was kidnapped by jihadists in Iraq, in this 2008 photo. Like many Arab Christians, this boy and his family were driven from their home in Iraq and relocated to Syria.
 

16 Pictures of the World's Kitchens Show the Hearts of Homes

On World Food Day, we are reminded that food is so much more than just what we eat.

By Anna Lukacs, National Geographic

PUBLISHED October 16, 2015

 http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/10/151016-kitchens-world-food-day-cooking-pictures-photography/

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