The UN’s World Food Programme has issued an appeal for urgent expanded access to Gaza as food supplies run “dangerously low.”
The WFP noted that the aid entering into Gaza is “nowhere near enough to meet the exponentially growing needs.”
Cindy McCain, the Executive Director of the World Food Programme, stated that the situation for the people of Gaza is “catastrophic” with not nearly enough food being sent into the war zone.
“Right now, parents in Gaza do not know whether they can feed their children today and whether they will even survive to see tomorrow. The suffering just meters away is unfathomable standing on this side of the border.
“Today, I’m making an urgent plea for the millions of people whose lives are being torn apart by this crisis.”
Cindy McCain
McCain pleaded, “We need a clear path to get our food and other humanitarian assistance in safely and continuously.”
“Without that, people are going to die – and they’re already dying, women and children,” she added.
McCain disclosed that she is in contact with Egyptian authorities about moving goods through the Rafah border crossing.
“I’m hopeful we’ll begin to get our food in at a much greater rate. But we need access and we need it now. We’re getting a dribble in – four or five trucks a day. That’s nothing,” she said.
According to Palestinian health authorities, the death toll in the besieged enclave has risen to 9,770, including 4,880 children.
Heavy bombardment of Gaza has intensified, particularly in the north where many civilians remain trapped and unable to flee.
Antisemitic Incidents Soar In Europe
Also on Sunday, the European Commission issued a statement noting that the spike of antisemitic incidents across Europe has reached “extraordinary levels in the last few days.”
It said that the occurences were “reminiscent of some of the darkest times in history,” adding that “European Jews today are again living in fear.”
“We have seen a resurgence of antisemitic incidents and rhetoric in the European Union and worldwide,” the statement read.
Incidents such as molotov cocktails thrown on a synagogue in Germany, stars of David sprayed on residential buildings in France, a Jewish cemetery desecrated in Austria, Jewish stores and synagogues attacked in Spain, as well as demonstrators chanting hate slogans against Jews, were cited in the statement.
“In these difficult times the EU stands by its Jewish communities,” it added.
The statement also made mention of the equally rising Islamophobia and anti-Muslim sentiments across Europe.
“We have to push back against this rise in antisemitism, as well as the rise in anti-Muslim hatred that we have been witnessing over the past weeks – which has no place in Europe.
“We already have powerful tools at our disposal to address such incidents: EU law criminalises public incitement to hatred and violence and sets out a common approach to tackling racist and xenophobic hate speech and hate crimes.
European Commission
“In cooperation with Member States, we will continue to step up security measures, ” the statement noted.
“We have already increased EU funding to protect places of worship and other premises and are working to make more support available,” it said.
“In parallel, we are stepping up the enforcement of relevant legislation to ensure online platforms react swiftly and effectively to antisemitic or anti-Muslim content online, be it terrorist content, hate speech or disinformation.”
European Commission
It added, “It is our shared responsibility as Europeans to call out hate in all its forms and stand up against it.”
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