Famine in Gaza: A timeline of how the hunger crisis is unfolding

ABC News

19 Apr 202405:28

Summary

TLDRThe Gaza-Israel conflict has triggered a severe humanitarian crisis. Since Hamas' surprise attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, Gaza has faced a complete siege, cutting off access to essential supplies like food, water, and electricity. Efforts to deliver aid have been severely hampered by border closures, heavy fighting, and logistical challenges, leading to famine conditions. Despite limited aid deliveries, the situation worsens, with reports of malnutrition, dehydration, and even deaths. International organizations, including the UN and aid agencies, have struggled to meet the needs of Gaza's population amid ongoing violence.

Takeaways

🚨 A humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Gaza as the Israel-Hamas war continues, severely impacting aid and water supplies.
🪖 Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, leading Israel to declare war and impose a complete siege on Gaza.
💡 On October 9, Israel cut electricity, fuel, and food supplies to Gaza, worsening the living conditions for its residents.
🔥 Humanitarian aid trucks began entering Gaza on October 21, but the amounts were limited compared to the needs of the population.
💧 By December 2023, 70% of southern Gaza's population had no access to clean water, with most residents fleeing to that region.
🥖 By late December, the entire Gaza population was reported to be experiencing a hunger crisis, with nearly all households skipping meals daily.
🚫 On February 20, 2024, the World Food Program suspended food deliveries to northern Gaza due to violence and civil chaos.
🇺🇸 The US conducted its first airdrop of food aid to Gaza in March 2024, but some reports mentioned people drowning while trying to retrieve packages.
⚠️ By April 2024, malnutrition and dehydration had claimed at least 20 lives in Gaza, as aid organizations struggled to deliver sufficient help.
💬 On April 10, 2024, a US official testified that famine was occurring in parts of Gaza, calling for urgent international action.

Q & A

What event triggered the Israel-Hamas conflict mentioned in the script?
-The conflict was triggered by a surprise terrorist attack launched by Hamas in southern Israel on October 7th, 2023.
What measures did Israel take in response to the attack by Hamas?
-Israel responded by declaring war against Hamas and ordered a 'Complete Siege of Gaza' on October 9th, cutting electricity and blocking fuel and food from entering the region.
When did the Gaza power plant run out of fuel, and what was the consequence?
-The Gaza power plant ran out of fuel two days after the siege began, which would have led to a significant impact on the region's electricity supply.
How did the humanitarian aid situation change on October 21st?
-On October 21st, humanitarian aid began to enter Gaza as the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip opened, allowing aid trucks to cross.
What was the condition of the water supply in southern Gaza according to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency?
-Philipe Lazzarini, the Commissioner-General of UNRWA, stated that 70% of people in southern Gaza had no access to clean water.
When did Israel open the Karam Shalom border crossing to allow more aid into Gaza?
-Israel opened the Karam Shalom border crossing on December 12th to allow more aid into Gaza.
What was the IPC initiative's report finding regarding the hunger crisis in Gaza?
-The IPC initiative reported on December 21st that 100% of the population in Gaza was experiencing a hunger crisis, with virtually all households skipping meals every day.
Why did the World Food Program suspend food deliveries to Northern Gaza?
-The World Food Program suspended food deliveries to Northern Gaza due to 'complete chaos and violence' that made distribution unsafe.
What accusations have been made against Israel regarding the delivery of aid?
-Aid organizations have accused Israel of not providing enough authorization to deliver sufficient aid and creating logistical challenges that result in bottlenecks.
When did the US conduct its first airdrop of food aid to Gaza, and what were the reported issues?
-The US conducted its first airdrop of food aid to Gaza on March 2nd, airdropping over 38,000 ready-to-eat meals. Reports later emerged of Gazans drowning trying to obtain the airdrop packages that fell into the sea.
What was the highest number of trucks that entered Gaza in a single day since the war began, according to Israeli officials?
-According to Israeli officials, the highest number of trucks that entered Gaza in a single day since the war began was 468 on April 9th.
What did Samantha Power, the administrator of the US Agency for International Development, testify on Capitol Hill regarding the situation in Gaza?
-Samantha Power testified that it is 'credible to assess that famine is occurring in parts of Gaza' and called for the international community to give more, do more, and care more.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza Amid Israel-Hamas Conflict

The ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, which began with a surprise attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023, has led to a severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Israel's defense minister ordered a complete siege of Gaza on October 9, cutting off electricity, food, and fuel. Aid trickled into Gaza through Egypt starting on October 21, but access to essential resources remains critically limited. The Gaza power plant ran out of fuel early in the conflict, and most of the population has fled to southern Gaza, where access to clean water and food is scarce. As the conflict drags on, famine looms, with nearly all households skipping meals daily.

05:02

🚨 Gaza's Famine and the World’s Response

Despite the growing humanitarian disaster, global efforts to provide aid to Gaza have been insufficient. On December 12, Israel opened the Karam Shalom border crossing to allow more aid into the region. However, by December 21, a report stated that 100% of Gaza's population was experiencing hunger. The situation worsened in early 2024, with aid deliveries suspended due to chaos and violence. While Israel and aid organizations blame each other for the bottleneck in aid delivery, the US began airdropping food on March 2. Yet, attempts to access this aid have led to further tragedy, with reports of Gazans drowning while trying to retrieve supplies from the sea. The war has claimed lives due to malnutrition and dehydration, and famine is now deemed imminent in Northern Gaza.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Humanitarian Crisis

A humanitarian crisis refers to a situation where the basic human needs such as food, water, shelter, and safety are not being met due to conflict, natural disaster, or other significant disruptions. In the context of the video, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is highlighted by the severe shortage of food, water, and medical supplies, exacerbated by the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

💡Gaza

Gaza is a densely populated Palestinian territory bordered by Israel and Egypt. It has been at the center of conflict between Israel and Hamas. The video discusses the dire conditions in Gaza, where the population faces severe shortages of essential resources due to the ongoing blockade and conflict.

💡Israel-Hamas War

The Israel-Hamas War refers to the ongoing conflict between the State of Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. This war has led to significant casualties, destruction, and a worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The video outlines the key events in the conflict, including the initial attack by Hamas and Israel's subsequent military response.

💡Complete Siege

A complete siege is a military tactic where all supplies, including food, water, and electricity, are cut off to a region to weaken the opponent. In the video, the Israeli Defense Minister ordered a complete siege of Gaza, which has severely impacted the living conditions in the area by blocking essential supplies from entering.

💡Humanitarian Aid

Humanitarian aid refers to the assistance provided to meet the basic needs of people in crisis situations, such as food, water, and medical supplies. The video discusses the challenges in delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza, including the limited number of trucks allowed to cross the border and the ongoing violence that hinders distribution.

💡Famine

Famine is an extreme scarcity of food that leads to widespread hunger and malnutrition. In the video, famine in Gaza is described as imminent due to the prolonged conflict, which has disrupted food supplies and access to clean water, leading to severe malnutrition and hunger among the population.

💡Rafah Border Crossing

The Rafah Border Crossing is the main crossing point between Gaza and Egypt. The video mentions the crossing as a critical entry point for humanitarian aid, which has been intermittently opened and closed, affecting the flow of essential supplies into Gaza during the conflict.

💡UNRWA

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) is a UN agency that provides assistance and protection to Palestinian refugees. In the video, the UNRWA Commissioner-General reports on the dire conditions in Gaza, particularly the lack of access to clean water for most of the population.

💡Hamas

Hamas is a Palestinian Islamist militant group that controls the Gaza Strip and has been involved in multiple conflicts with Israel. The video begins with the mention of Hamas launching a surprise attack on Israel, which triggered the ongoing conflict and the subsequent humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

💡World Food Program (WFP)

The World Food Program (WFP) is a UN agency that delivers food assistance in emergencies and works to improve nutrition and food security. The video references WFP's efforts to deliver food to Gaza and the challenges it faces, including the suspension of deliveries to Northern Gaza due to unsafe conditions.

Highlights

On October 7th, 2023, Hamas launches a surprise terrorist attack in southern Israel, triggering the Israel-Hamas War.

Israel declares war against Hamas on the same day in response to the attack, with Israeli Defense Minister ordering a complete siege of Gaza.

On October 9th, Israel cuts electricity and blocks fuel and food from entering Gaza as part of the siege.

Gaza's only power station runs out of fuel two days later, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.

The first humanitarian aid trucks enter Gaza on October 21st through the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza.

Only 20 trucks carrying critical supplies cross into Gaza before the Rafah border closes again.

70% of people in southern Gaza, where most of the population has fled, have no access to clean water.

On December 12th, Israel opens the Karam Shalom border crossing to allow more aid into Gaza.

By December 21st, the entire population of Gaza is experiencing hunger, with households skipping meals daily, according to a report by the IPC initiative.

On February 20th, 2024, the World Food Program announces the suspension of food deliveries to northern Gaza due to chaos and violence.

Aid organizations accuse Israel of blocking sufficient aid deliveries, while Israel claims logistical challenges and says Hamas steals aid.

The U.S. conducts its first airdrop of food aid to Gaza on March 2nd, delivering 38,000 ready-to-eat meals.

Reports emerge that some Gazans drown trying to retrieve airdropped aid packages that fall into the sea.

By March 15th, at least 20 people have died from malnutrition and dehydration in Gaza.

On April 1st, seven aid workers are killed during an IDF attack due to a misidentification, leading several charities to pull out of Gaza.