UN Chief Warns of “Dramatic Starvation” in Gaza

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is in Jordan where he warned of a looming humanitarian disaster in Gaza. Speaking on Monday, March 25, 2024, Guterres called for a massive aid supply to Gaza while acknowledging that there was a growing international consensus that Israel should ceasefire.

Guterres also warned that any ground offensive by Israel in Rafah, the town in the southernmost part of Gaza on Egypt’s border, could lead to a humanitarian disaster. This is because Rafah is the only refuge left for the thousands of Gaza’s populations forced out of their homes. The U.N. chief called on Israel to remove every barrier to aid and allow the U.N. Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA into northern Gaza where starvation is most imminent. 

“It is absolutely essential to have a massive supply of humanitarian aid now,” said Guterres. “This means opening more entry points, this means a concentration of efforts of all entities and without obstacles and limitations from the Israeli side.”

The continuous aid blockade can lead to dramatic starvation

The UNRWA is one of the last hopes of Palestinians trapped between the Israel and Hamas war. According to Guterres, UNRWA was the lifeline of hope and dignity for millions of refugees in the region. He made the statement during a tour of a center in Jordan’s Wihdat camp where UNRWA offers education and health services.

“The decision not to allow UNRWA'S convoys to go to northern Gaza where we have a dramatic starvation situation is totally unacceptable and those that took that decision must assume the responsibility facing history of the consequences of the decision,” Guterres said.

During the early days of the 5 months war, Israel blocked the imports of fuel, medicine, and food into Gaza. Although it later eased the blockade to allow aid deliveries, aid organizations say security checks and the difficulty of moving through a war-torn terrain continue to hinder full operations.

The U.N. Security Council members are expected to vote on a draft resolution calling for a ceasefire on Monday. Accompanying Guterres on his tour, Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi appealed to U.N. Security Council members to vote in favor of a resolution calling for a ceasefire as well as pressure Israel to allow uninterrupted aid into Gaza. According to the Minister, it will send a “message that what's happening is unacceptable and what's happening has to stop”.

“Nothing justifies continuing with killing innocent people ... committing so many massacres. Nothing justifies denying men, women, and children their right to food and medicine,” the Minister said.

Jordan is sheltering millions of Palestinian refugees

Although Jordan is not being bombarded, it indirectly feels the pinch of the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. As many as 2.4 million Palestinian refugees are sheltering in Jordan which has put a strain on the country’s social amenities. Jordan hosts the highest number of refugees among Israel’s neighbors.

After the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas, Israel fingered dozens of UNRWA staff as being complicit in the attack. The allegations have led to several big donors cutting funding to the organization. Recently, the United States paused UNRWA funding. Since the United States is UNRWA’s biggest donor, the agency’s future has been put in doubt. Some countries have since restored UNRWA funding.