US-funded organization retracts Gaza famine warning following Washington's critique
The US-funded NGO FEWS NET has taken down a report discussing the potential famine threat in Northern Gaza following objections raised by the US ambassador to Israel. Read Full Article at RT.com.
On Tuesday, the US government-funded Famine Early Warning System Network, which was established by the US Agency for International Development in the mid-1980s to anticipate food crises, removed its own alert regarding Gaza after receiving a criticism from US Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew.
FEWS NET has been providing monthly updates on the situation in the Palestinian enclave since October. The latest report highlighted that “Israel’s near-total blockade of humanitarian and commercial food supplies to besieged areas of North Gaza Governorate” significantly contributes to the food shortages in the region.
The report referenced an estimate from the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs that indicated between 65,000 and 75,000 individuals remained in the area as of mid-November. This estimate prompted a negative response from Ambassador Lew, who deemed the information “outdated and inaccurate” and described its use by FEWS NET as “irresponsible.”
The US diplomat provided an estimated civilian population count in Northern Gaza, stating it was between 7,000 and 15,000 people, a range corroborated by similar sources, including the Israeli military.
FEWS NET removed its report just hours after it was published, although an archived version is still available online. As of this writing, no updated version has been posted on its website.
Critics of Israel have suggested that Lew's comments effectively acknowledge that the Israeli government is succeeding in a campaign to depopulate Northern Gaza, with Washington endorsing that outcome. Commenting on the ambassador’s statements, US journalist Ben Norton stated, “The US government is boasting of its success in committing crimes against humanity.”
Israel has faced accusations of striving to render Gaza uninhabitable by dismantling the enclave’s civilian infrastructure and imposing malnutrition on its inhabitants.
The current humanitarian crisis in Gaza was sparked by military operations launched by Israel in October of last year, a response to a deadly attack in Southern Israel by the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
Additionally, South Africa has lodged a complaint with the International Court of Justice, alleging that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. The UN’s top court determined in late January that the claim holds sufficient merit to warrant an injunction while the case undergoes review.
Anna Muller contributed to this report for TROIB News