1.4 Million People in Gaza Face Serious Food Insecurity

Palestinian Minister of Social Development Semah Hamed stated that approximately 1.4 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are facing serious food insecurity. The Minister emphasized that this situation is not just a temporary food shortage, but also the result of restrictions and blockade on food, water, and medicine, which are 'systematic Israeli policies targeting the basic elements of life'. '1.4 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are still in the third or more advanced stages of food insecurity' he said. UN Assistant Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Ramiz Alakbarov stressed that the report's results should be evaluated in a balanced manner, and that the recorded improvement is not due to the improvement of conditions or the restoration of basic elements of life, but only due to the continued delivery of humanitarian aid. World Food Programme Palestine Representative Shaun Hughes stated that the report is an independent and technical assessment prepared by more than 60 experts from over 20 institutions. 'The relative improvement in indicators should not be interpreted as the end of the crisis' he noted.