Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claims there is no hunger in Gaza, but malnourished children are regularly arriving at Nasser Hospital.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday told local media, “There is no hunger. There was no hunger. There was a shortage, and there was certainly no policy of starvation.”

In the face of international outcry, Netanyahu has pushed back, saying reports of starvation are “lies” promoted by Hamas.

However, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric this week warned that starvation and malnutrition in Gaza are at the highest levels since the war began.

The U.N. says nearly 12,000 children under 5 were found to have acute malnutrition in July — including more than 2,500 with severe malnutrition, the most dangerous level. The World Health Organization says the numbers are likely an undercount.

The past two weeks, Israel has allowed around triple the amount of food into Gaza than had been entering since late May. That followed 2 1/2 months when Israel barred all food, medicine and other supplies, saying it was to pressure Hamas to release hostages taken during its 2023 attack that launched the war. The new influx has brought more food within reach for some of the population and lowered some prices in marketplaces, though it remains far more expensive than prewar levels and unaffordable for many.

  • IninewCrow@lemmy.caEnglish
    7·
    21 hours ago

    Definitely old enough to remember 1980s famine relief … and also old enough to remember in the 90s when Bono from U2 saying that the whole famine relief thing was a joke … because they raised enough money in the millions to pay off the interest payments of some of the starving countries FOR ONE YEAR!! … the criticism was that the performers were raising money to feed starving people, while first world countries handed out enormous loans with interest payments that more or less cancelled out any humanitarian aid they gave the countries.

    The whole system is a joke … first world countries keep third world countries from developing beyond a certain point to keep them under control to access their resources, then give them humanitarian aid to keep them from starving, while making the same amount of money off them by making them pay for the debt on the loans they gave them.

    So in a round about way, first world countries have a hand in keeping African countries starving, but make themselves feel good by giving aid … but make themselves feel even better because they recoup that money and more through loan payments and interest … essentially making money off starving people.