Palestinian officials and international relief authorities have warned of a new catastrophe unfolding in the Gaza Strip, which is suffering from severe shortages of basic food supplies, medical equipment, and humanitarian aid.

Ismail Al-Thawabta, Director of the Government Media Office in Gaza, stated that the Gaza Strip has entered an advanced stage of famine due to the complete closure of border crossings for the past two months and the prevention of food and aid deliveries.

Muneer Al-Bursh, Director-General of the Ministry of Health in Gaza, explained that 91% of Gaza’s population is facing a severe food crisis, and 92% of children and nursing mothers are suffering from acute malnutrition. He also confirmed that 65% of Palestinians in Gaza do not have access to clean drinking water.

For his part, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher said that blocking aid from entering Gaza is starving civilians. He stressed the need to prevent the use of humanitarian aid as a bargaining chip and warned that the existing supplies in Gaza could run out in approximately three weeks.

Israel has continued to prevent all humanitarian aid from entering the Gaza Strip for nearly two months.