UN aid chief reiterates ‘preventable famine’ in Gaza, calls for ceasefire and open crossings

There is a "preventable, predictable famine" in Gaza, "but we can stop it," a top U.N. official said on Monday (September 15), calling on Israel to allow unimpeded aid delivery in the territory, where it is fighting Palestinian militant group Hamas. According to a global hunger monitor, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are already experiencing or at risk of famine in areas including Gaza City, the enclave's largest urban center, where Israel has launched a new offensive against Hamas. Israel, which stopped all aid for 11 weeks from March until mid-May, says it is doing more to let aid enter and be distributed in the enclave to prevent food shortages, though international agencies say far more is needed.