Northern Gaza is facing a severe famine, which is spreading southward, as stated by Cindy McCain, the executive director of the World Food Program.
Despite no official declaration of famine in the region, hunger and disease are widespread after nearly seven months of conflict.
McCain's comments, scheduled to be aired on Sunday, are based on her organization's observations and experiences on the ground. She expressed deep concern, stating, "It’s horror. It’s so hard to look at and it’s so hard to hear. I’m so hoping that we can get a cease-fire and begin to feed these people — especially in the north — in a much faster fashion."
McCain's remarks come after months of warnings from humanitarian groups that Israel's actions in Gaza have pushed the region to the brink of famine.
A Washington Post analysis highlights how the Israeli offensive is devastating Gaza's ability to produce its own food.
While efforts, such as opening new routes into Gaza, have increased aid flow, the WFP stated this week that "rolling back six months of starvation requires steady flows of food supplies" and "safe, lasting access."
Famine is officially defined as occurring when at least 20 percent of households in an area suffer from an extreme lack of food, at least 30 percent of children have acute malnutrition, and 2 in every 10,000 people are dying per day due to starvation or disease.
A Hamas delegation is set to travel to Egypt on Saturday to continue cease-fire talks, according to a statement by the group on Telegram. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, during his Middle East trip this week, urged Hamas to accept Israel's latest proposal, with other U.S. officials warning that it could be the "last chance" to avoid further conflict.
Hamas's political chief stated this week that the negotiations were progressing with a "positive spirit."
The United States has reportedly told Qatar to expel Hamas if it continues to reject a cease-fire with Israel. Blinken delivered this message to the Qatari prime minister in April.
Qatar has hosted Hamas's political leadership at the United States' request since 2012. Qatari officials have advised Hamas officials to prepare a backup plan for residency should they need to leave, according to a diplomat familiar with the situation.
The International Criminal Court's Office of the Prosecutor has requested that external attempts to influence the court's activities "cease immediately."
This comes after reports suggesting that the court is considering arrest warrants for Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, sparked outrage among Israeli officials and their supporters. However, the court has not confirmed these reports.
In the past two weeks, more than 2,000 people have been arrested in connection with U.S. campus protests against the Gaza conflict, as the movement spread to over 150 colleges across the country. Some campuses in the United States experienced calm on Friday night following a week of police crackdowns, after some schools reached agreements with students to end protests. Similar protests have occurred in Australia, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, and elsewhere.
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants, at least 34,622 people have been killed and 77,867 injured in Gaza since the war began.
The majority of the dead are reported to be women and children. Israel estimates that about 1,200 people were killed in Hamas's October 7 attack, including over 300 soldiers, and reports 263 soldiers have been killed since the launch of its military operation in Gaza.