Gaza's Famine Crisis: A Mother's Heartbreaking Account

In a heart-wrenching account, Rida Hijjeh shared with the BBC that her five-year-old daughter, Lamia Hijjeh, has lost nearly half of her body weight due to the famine in Gaza City. Rida reported that Lamia has lost 8.5 kg and is unable to walk, as her family has faced multiple displacements during the ongoing war.

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) recently elevated its assessment to Phase 5, marking the highest level of acute food insecurity. According to the IPC, famine conditions have been confirmed in the Gaza Governorate, which encompasses Gaza City and the surrounding areas. Alarmingly, 'catastrophic conditions' are projected to spread to Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis by the end of September.

Despite these alarming reports, Israeli officials have refuted claims of starvation in Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the IPC’s assessment as an 'outright lie', intensifying tensions amid a dire humanitarian crisis.

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