Israel urges retraction of Gaza famine report as UN Security Council warns of ‘man-made crisis’

JERUSALEM/NEW YORK: Israel on Wednesday (Aug 27) asked a global hunger monitor to retract an assessment that Gaza City and surrounding areas are suffering from famine, dismissing the findings as “deeply flawed”.

The request came hours before a United Nations Security Council meeting in New York, where 14 council members, all except the United States, issued a joint statement describing Gaza’s famine as a “man-made crisis”.

The statement also warned that the use of starvation as a weapon of war is banned under international humanitarian law. It called for an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire, the release of hostages, and for Israel to immediately lift all restrictions on aid deliveries.

“Famine in Gaza must be stopped immediately. Time is of the essence. The humanitarian emergency must be addressed without delay and Israel must reverse course,” the council members said.

ISRAEL DISPUTES REPORT

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) system said last week that 514,000 people, close to a quarter of Palestinians in Gaza, are experiencing famine, a number it expects to rise to 641,000 by the end of September.

Eden Bar Tal, director general of Israel’s Foreign Ministry, wrote to the IPC urging a retraction until the body completes a review.

“The report is deeply flawed, unprofessional, and gravely missing the standards expected from an international body entrusted with such a serious responsibility,” he wrote.

His letter said the IPC had departed from its own standards, alleging data was made up, cherry-picked or ignored. He warned that if a new report was not presented within two weeks, Israel would ask IPC donors to halt funding.

The IPC, which involves UN agencies, aid groups and regional organisations, has previously declared famines in Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan.

At the Security Council, acting US Ambassador to the UN Dorothy Shea questioned the IPC report, saying it “doesn’t pass the test on either credibility or integrity.” She added: “We all recognize that hunger is a real issue in Gaza and that there are significant humanitarian needs which must be met. Addressing those needs is a priority for the United States.”

HUMANITARIAN PRESSURE

The Gaza health ministry said on Wednesday that 10 more people had died of malnutrition and starvation, raising the toll to 313 since the war began in October 2023, including 119 children. Israel disputes the health ministry’s figures.

The Israeli military’s chief of staff, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, met UN World Food Programme head Cindy McCain on Wednesday and “emphasized Israel’s commitment to preventing famine and enabling humanitarian aid,” the army said.

At the UN, however, council members except Washington stressed that Israel must do more. They also said Gaza’s famine is a “man-made crisis” and warned that the use of starvation as a weapon of war is banned under international humanitarian law.