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Food crisis in Gaza has worsened significantly, U.N. report warns
TEL AVIV — The mounting food crisis in Gaza has “worsened significantly,” with almost all of the babies and pregnant women in the enclave grappling with “severe food poverty,” a new report warned today.
Over 90% of babies aged 6 to 23 months and pregnant and breastfeeding women are eating two or fewer food groups a day, according to the report from the Global Nutrition Cluster, a coalition of humanitarian groups.
“The food they have access to is of the lowest nutritional value,” the report says, adding that that 81% of households lack safe and clean water, with average house household access at less than one litre per person per day — far from the minimum standard of at least 15 litres per person per day.
The report emphasized that this was particularly concerning for babies relying on infant formula, of which there has been a rise in the midst of the war.
Hamas leader arrives in Egypt for new talks
Hamas’ political leader Ismail Haniyeh has arrived in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, for new talks about the war in Gaza.
Haniyeh arrived this morning at the head of a delegation “to hold discussions with Egyptian officials” about the war in Gaza, Hamas said in a statement.
Israeli forces search buildings in Gaza
An image released by the Israeli army today shows soldiers searching a building at an undisclosed location in the Gaza Strip.
26 E.U. countries warn Israel against ‘catastrophic’ Rafah offensive
BRUSSELS — All European Union countries except Hungary warned Israel yesterday against launching an offensive in Rafah that they said would deepen the catastrophe of some 1.5 million refugees crammed into the city on the southern edge of Gaza.
“An attack on Rafah would be absolutely catastrophic … it would be unconscionable,” Ireland’s Foreign Minister Micheal Martin said before a meeting of foreign ministers from the 27 E.U. member states in Brussels.
After the talks ended, all but one of them called in a joint statement for “an immediate humanitarian pause that would lead to a lasting ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages and the provision of humanitarian assistance.”
The statement was issued in the name of “Foreign Ministers of 26 Member-States of the European Union” and diplomats said Hungary — a close ally of the Israeli government — was the sole country that did not sign up.
“We ask the Israeli Government not to take military action in Rafah that would worsen an already catastrophic humanitarian situation and prevent the urgently needed provision of basic services and humanitarian assistance,” the ministers said.
Israel is preparing to mount a ground invasion of Gaza’s southernmost city, which it has called a last bastion of Hamas control after almost five months of fighting. Israel accuses Hamas fighters of hiding among civilians, something the militant group denies, and says “extraordinary measures” were being taken to avoid civilian casualties.
But E.U. foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said it would be impossible to prevent civilian deaths.
“We have to continue putting pressure on Israel to make them understand that there are so many people in the streets of Rafah, it will be impossible to avoid civilian casualties,” he said.
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