United Nations Appeals for $2.8 Billion to Aid 3 Million Palestinians Amid Looming Famine

The United Nations has made an urgent appeal for $2.8 billion to provide essential aid to 3 million Palestinians. The focus is on addressing the looming famine in war-torn Gaza, where the need for food, sanitation, water, and health facilities is critical.

Andrea De Domenico, the head of the U.N. humanitarian office for Gaza and the West Bank, emphasized the need for massive operations to restore vital services and meet minimum standards. He highlighted the extensive destruction of hospitals, water and sanitation facilities, homes, roads, and schools, including the complete destruction of Gaza's only university.

De Domenico described the recent military operation at Shifa Hospital, Gaza's largest medical facility, as highly destructive, leading to its forced closure. He questioned the military objective behind damaging essential medical equipment, such as an MRI scanner, which is crucial for detecting diseases like cancer.

Humanitarian Challenges

The U.N. team has been facing significant challenges, with efforts to help people identify family members from the remnants of corpses in the aftermath of the hospital's destruction. Israel has pledged to open more border crossings into Gaza and increase the flow of aid, following the killing of seven aid workers from the World Central Kitchen in early April.

While acknowledging Israel's intention to provide more humanitarian aid, De Domenico emphasized the need for continued efforts to address the humanitarian crisis. The U.N. has been urging Israel to facilitate aid convoys into Gaza, citing instances of denial and delays in accessing checkpoints.

The severity of hunger crises in northern Gaza has raised concerns about an imminent famine, with 70% of the population facing catastrophic hunger. The U.N. warned that escalation of the war could push half of Gaza’s 2.3 million people to the brink of starvation.

De Domenico revealed that 90% of the $2.8 billion appeal is designated for Gaza, while the remaining 10% is allocated for the West Bank. The West Bank has experienced an upsurge in violence and settler attacks, contributing to the increased need for aid in the region.