GAZA, (Palestine Foundation Information Center ) Filippo Grandi, Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), said on Wednesday that Palestinians in the Gaza Strip now face an impossible choice, death by Israeli bombing or slow death by enforced starvation due to the blockade.
Writing on “X,” Grandi started: “There is no safe place in Gaza. No one is safe.” He warned that nearly 700 days into this conflict, “people continue to be killed and injured as the Israeli military intensifies and expands its operations.”
He added: “Hospitals, schools, shelters, and homes are bombed daily. Healthcare workers, journalists, and humanitarian staff are being killed at levels not seen in any recent conflict in modern history.”
Highlighting the severity and horror of these violations, Grandi continued: “As if that were not enough, hunger threatens everyone in Gaza, either with a slow, silent death or while desperately seeking food.”
Since March 2, Israel has closed all Gaza crossings, allowing only a minuscule number of aid trucks to enter, driving the territory toward a deadly famine.
Criticizing Israel’s unchecked atrocities, Grandi wrote: “The recent horrors are still described as unfortunate incidents, and famine is often denied,” pointing to the lack of accountability for Israeli actions.
He emphasized, “Nothing justifies these grave attacks on the lives and identity of Palestinians.” It is time, he said, for “action, courage, and political will to end this hell on Earth.” He concluded by reiterating the urgent call for a ceasefire and judicial accountability for those responsible.
Earlier, OCHA spokesperson Olga Sweeney warned that famine in Gaza is worsening rapidly due to Israel’s continuing siege.
Referring to a United Nations Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report, she confirmed that famine is already confirmed in Gaza City and is expected to spread to Deir al-Balah and Khan Yunis by the end of September.
“These findings are not surprising; they are exactly what we have warned about for months,” she said, adding: “We will face a far worse scenario if the situation is not comprehensively addressed.”
She stressed that the only way to stop the famine is to urgently deliver sufficient humanitarian aid, remove all barriers to access, and establish safe, secure aid routes.
With US support, Israel has waged what many experts view as a genocide in Gaza since October 7, 2023, employing killing, starvation, destruction, and forced displacement while ignoring international law and the International Court of Justice’s orders. The assault has killed and injured over 62,895 Palestinians (mostly women and children), with more than 9,000 missing, hundreds of thousands displaced, and a famine that has already claimed the lives of 313 people, including 119 children.
