“They risk their lives to provide for the needs of their children”: in the Gaza Strip, the distress of a starving population

Famine threatens civilians in the Palestinian enclave. MAXPPP – MOHAMMED SABER

An aid distribution turned into drama on Thursday in the west of Gaza City, where the Israeli army is accused of having opened fire on ' quot;hunger rioters". On site, the situation is “desperate”.

Emmanuel Macron expressed his "deep indignation", after the distribution of humanitarian aid which turned into drama, Thursday in the west of Gaza City, demanding "the truth".

The health authorities of the Palestinian enclave, besieged for nearly five months by the Israeli army in retaliation for the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7, accused the IDF of ;rsquo;opened fire on the population, leaving 112 dead and 760 injured.

Two versions clash

The Hebrew State speaks, for its part "of a stampede during which dozens of inhabitants were killed and injured, some run over by aid trucks.

But recognizes shots at "several people" considered a threat. "In any event, it is Israel’s responsibility to comply with the rules of international law and protect the distribution of humanitarian aid" , highlights the Quai d’Orsay.

"The system in Gaza is more than'on its knees"

Palestinians are risking their lives to find food, water and other basic necessities as infrastructure is " knees" faced with the Israeli assault, denounced the WHO on Friday. 

"The system in Gaza is on its knees, it is more than'on its knees", deplored Christian Lindmeier, WHO spokesperson, to the press in Geneva.

"hunger riots"

"All life lines in Gaza have been more or less cut." Christian Lindmeier said the situation was now " desperate", like the "hunger riots" Thursday showed it.

"People need food, fresh water and other supplies so badly that they risk their lives to get them. food and materials in order to provide for the needs of their children and themselves, lamented the spokesperson.

According to a senior UN official, a quarter of the population of Gaza is close to famine, which risks becoming widespread "almost inevitable".

Package drops

Joe Biden announced that the United States would participate, like France, in humanitarian aid drops. And "a ceasefire must be put in place immediately to allow humanitarian aid to be distributed" , asked Emmanuel Macron.

Egypt says it is hopeful that negotiations in this direction will be successful before March 10, the start of the month of Ramadan. The latest report from the Gaza authorities shows more than 30,000 killed since the start of the Israeli response, which has also displaced more than half of the 2.3 million inhabitants.