British government ministers have reacted with anger after the UN officially declared famine in Gaza.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy said there had been sickening consequences, especially for children, from Israel sealing off the Palestinian enclave to pursue its war against Hamas.
"The Israeli government’s refusal to allow sufficient aid into Gaza has caused this man-made catastrophe," he said. "This is a moral outrage."
Middle East minister Hamish Falconer has said Israel must “immediately and permanently” allow aid into Gaza.
International pressure is growing on Israel to end aid restrictions after the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs said on Friday that famine is “currently occurring” in Gaza city and is projected to expand south to Deir Al Balah and Khan Younis governorates “by the end of September”.
Saudi Arabia and Kuwait responded to the findings by condemning Israel's treatment of civilians. The Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry expressed its "strong condemnation and denunciation of the policy of starvation, oppression, and displacement" by Israeli force
Mr Falconer called for open access for aid deliveries. “Israel must immediately and permanently lift all barriers preventing aid reaching the people of Gaza to prevent the horrifying starvation in the strip continuing,” he said.
“The humanitarian situation in Gaza has reached new depths and that is why we are doing all we can to end the current suffering and change the situation on the ground.
“We continue to support efforts to bring about an immediate ceasefire. We also need a comprehensive plan to end this misery and get to a long-term settlement that provides peace and security for Palestinians and Israelis.”
Hadja Lahbib, an EU commissioner responsible for humanitarian issues, said "famine is a reality" in Gaza. "This is a race against time. I urge Israel to allow unimpeded and sustained humanitarian access to all people in need," she said.
Germany's Development Minister Reem Alabali Radovan said the report "makes clear the catastrophic situation in Gaza" where "ever more people are starving before our eyes". She said: "It cannot go on like this. An immediate ceasefire is needed. At the same time, Hamas must immediately release the hostages."
UN humanitarian affairs chief Tom Fletcher said on Friday that the famine was entirely preventable, as food could not get through to Gaza “because of systematic obstruction by Israel”.
Four UN agencies said there was a race against time to reverse the famine. The Food and Agriculture Organisation, the UN children's fund Unicef, the World Food Programme and the World Health Organisation highlighted the extreme urgency for an immediate full-scale humanitarian response.
In a joint statement, they said there was an escalating number of hunger-related deaths, rapidly worsening levels of acute malnutrition and plummeting levels of food consumption, with hundreds of thousands of people going days without anything to eat.
“An immediate ceasefire and end to the conflict is critical to allow unimpeded, large-scale humanitarian response that can save lives,” they said.
The agencies said they were also “gravely concerned about the threat of an intensified military offensive in Gaza city and any escalation in the conflict, as it would have further devastating consequences for civilians where famine conditions already exist”.
The UN agencies warned that “many people – especially sick and malnourished children, older people and people with disabilities – may be unable to evacuate”.
According to official gradations of need by the end of September, more than 640,000 people will face catastrophic levels of food insecurity across the Gaza Strip. An additional 1.14 million people in the territory will be in emergency conditions and a further 396,000 people in food crisis.
Conditions in other parts of North Gaza are estimated to be as severe – or worse – than in Gaza city, the agencies said.
Charities echoed the UN's language on the urgency of the crisis. Taahra Ghazi, joint chief executive of ActionAid UK, said the famine must not become further entrenched. “Every hour counts and there is no time to waste,” she said.
“The international community must take meaningful action and use diplomatic pressure to bring about a permanent ceasefire immediately.
“Food and other aid must be allowed to enter Gaza unhindered, rapidly and at scale if there is to be any hope of preventing any more deaths by starvation.”
On Friday, Israel's Foreign Ministry claimed that “there is no famine in Gaza”.
