
Swedish Diplomat: Hunger Crisis Escalates in Gaza
Nearly one-third of Gaza's residents are going days without food, reports the UN's World Food Programme (WFP). Swedish WFP official Carl Skau describes a situation worse than ever before.
On Tuesday, Salam, barely seven months old, died from acute malnutrition. She is one of thousands of malnourished children in Gaza, with more cases discovered daily, according to the UN's aid agency for Palestinian refugees, Unrwa.
Hunger is spreading in Gaza, warns WFP's deputy chief, Swedish Carl Skau. He has just returned from his fourth trip to Gaza since the war began. The situation is worse than anything he has seen before, he notes.
"It's hard to find words to describe the level of desperation I've witnessed," he says in a statement.
Caught in Crossfire
WFP's kitchens are empty. At best, they can serve hot water with a little pasta, Skau reports.
"People are starving, while we have food just across the border."
The organization's teams often get caught in crossfire when escorting food convoys through conflict zones, Skau explains. Fuel, spare parts, and basic communication equipment are running out.
"Our local staff are not just aid workers – they live here, facing the same dangers and hunger as the rest of the population. We cannot continue under these conditions."
3,000 Times More Expensive
According to WFP, nearly one-third of Gazans now go several days without food.
In May, the UN-backed IPC (Integrated Food Security Phase Classification) assessed that 470,000 Gazans face the highest risk level: 5, catastrophic risk of famine. Meanwhile, Israel continues to severely restrict the entry of emergency aid. As a result, food prices in Gaza have soared to astronomical levels.
"Flour for bread is 3,000 times more expensive than before the war – 23 euros per kilo," WFP writes in its latest assessment and continues:
"And fuel for cooking is simply unavailable."