UN / GAZA RISK OF FAMINE

Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Ilze Brands Kehris told the Security Council that “the severe restrictions imposed by Israel on the entry and distribution of goods and services necessary for the survival of the civilian population brought the risk of famine and starvation to Gaza.” UNIFEED
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STORY: UN / GAZA RISK OF FAMINE
TRT: 05:13
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 12 NOVEMBER 2024, NEW YORK CITY / FILE

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Shotlist

FILE - NEW YORK CITY

1. Wide shot, exterior, UN Headquarters

12 NOVEMBER 2024, NEW YORK CITY

2. Wide shot, Security Council
3. Med shot, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Ilze Brands Kehris addressing Council
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Ilze Brands Kehris, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, United Nations:
“Israel's conduct of hostilities has destroyed Gaza's civilian infrastructure, including places that have protected status under international law, hospitals, schools and vital services, including electricity, water and sewage. This contributes directly to the famine risk being discussed today.”
5. Med shot, Brands Kehris addressing Council
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Ilze Brands Kehris, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, United Nations:
“There is a strong likelihood that famine is imminent. This horrific possibility cannot be separated from the unrelenting attacks on the human rights of civilians there. Over the past five weeks, the Israeli military has conducted strikes that have led to massive civilian fatalities in northern Gaza, particularly impacting women, children, older people, the sick, and people with disabilities, many of whom are reportedly trapped by Israeli military restrictions and attacks on escape routes.”
7. Med shot, Brands Kehris addressing Council
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Ilze Brands Kehris, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, United Nations:
“The severe restrictions imposed by Israel on the entry and distribution of goods and services necessary for the survival of the civilian population brought the risk of famine and starvation to Gaza. We again recall that the use of starvation of the civilian population as a method of warfare is strictly prohibited under international humanitarian law.”
9. Wide shot, Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Ilze Brands Kehris, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, United Nations:
“The manner in which the Israeli military is conducting operations in northern Gaza suggests not only that Israel's actions are seeking to empty northern Gaza of Palestinians by displacing survivors to the south, but points to further grave risks of atrocities of the most serious nature.”
11. Wide shot, Council, FAO Director of Emergencies and Resilience Rein Paulsen on screen
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Rein Paulsen, Director, Office of Emergencies and Resilience, Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO):
“Agrifood systems have collapsed in the Gaza Strip. Local food production has been decimated. Recent geospatial analysis indicate that nearly 70 percent of the crop land, which has contributed up to one third of daily consumption, has been damaged or destroyed. Since the escalation in hostilities started last year. Likewise, animal production has been devastated, with almost 95 percent of cattle and more than half of sheep and goat herds now dead. These animal losses have both removed access to critical and nutritious sources of protein and milk, as well as devastated people's livelihoods.”
13. Med shot, delgates, Paulsen on screen
14. Med shot, Acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Joyce Msuya, addressing Council
15. SOUNDBITE (English) Joyce Msuya, Acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, United Nations:
“The most basic requirements of humanity are being disregarded. These are requirements that members of this Council and indeed all member states set out in international humanitarian and human rights law. They must be respected. Constant care must be taken to spare civilians throughout military operations. Civilians must be allowed to seek protection elsewhere, and they must be guaranteed the right to voluntarily return, as international law demands.”
16. Med shot, Palestine Ambassador Riyad Mansour addressing Council
17. SOUNDBITE (English) Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer to the United Nations, Palestine:
“Let us all pause and understand what it means that northern Gaza is facing now famine, while aid is available and is only a couple of miles away. Let us pause and understand what it means that Israel has decided and implemented famine as a method of war for the purposes of ethnic cleansing and to advance its colonial objectives. Israel tells us trucks are entering and crossings are open and markets are flourishing, or blames others for the siege it is imposing, while the UN, humanitarian NGOs, and all states around the world are saying the opposite.”
18. Wide shot, Danon addressing Council
19. SOUNDBITE (English) Danny Danon, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Israel:
“Today's report from the IPC is the latest hand ball thrown against the wall. It is a true masterclass in misinformation, bias and dishonest reporting. So if you take even a moment to examine its claims rationally, that mud slides down to the floor, exposing the emptiness and libel hidden beneath. It is an exercise in slander disguised as a humanitarian concern. The IPC’s latest report echoes one of the most unfounded, slanderous accusations against the state of Israel throughout this conflict.”
20. Wide shot, end of Council meeting

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Storyline

Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Ilze Brands Kehris today (12 Nov) told the Security Council that “the severe restrictions imposed by Israel on the entry and distribution of goods and services necessary for the survival of the civilian population brought the risk of famine and starvation to Gaza.”

Brands Kehris said, “Israel's conduct of hostilities has destroyed Gaza's civilian infrastructure, including places that have protected status under international law, hospitals, schools and vital services, including electricity, water and sewage,” contributing “directly to the famine risk being discussed today.”

The Assistant Secretary-General said, “there is a strong likelihood that famine is imminent. This horrific possibility cannot be separated from the unrelenting attacks on the human rights of civilians there. Over the past five weeks, the Israeli military has conducted strikes that have led to massive civilian fatalities in northern Gaza, particularly impacting women, children, older people, the sick, and people with disabilities, many of whom are reportedly trapped by Israeli military restrictions and attacks on escape routes.”

She said, “we again recall that the use of starvation of the civilian population as a method of warfare is strictly prohibited under international humanitarian law.”

Brands Kehris stressed that “the manner in which the Israeli military is conducting operations in northern Gaza suggests not only that Israel's actions are seeking to empty northern Gaza of Palestinians by displacing survivors to the south, but points to further grave risks of atrocities of the most serious nature.”

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Director of Emergencies and Resilience Rein Paulsen told the Council that “agrifood systems have collapsed in the Gaza Strip” and “local food production has been decimated.”

Paulsen said, “70 percent of the crop land, which has contributed up to one third of daily consumption, has been damaged or destroyed since the escalation in hostilities started last year.” while “animal production has been devastated, with almost 95 percent of cattle and more than half of sheep and goat herds now dead.”

These animal losses, he said, “have both removed access to critical and nutritious sources of protein and milk, as well as devastated people's livelihoods.”

For her part, Acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Joyce Msuya said, “he most basic requirements of humanity are being disregarded” in Gaza.

Msuya said, “constant care must be taken to spare civilians throughout military operations. Civilians must be allowed to seek protection elsewhere, and they must be guaranteed the right to voluntarily return, as international law demands.”

Palestine Ambassador Riyad Mansour told the Council “Let us all pause and understand what it means that northern Gaza is facing now famine, while aid is available and is only a couple of miles away. Let us pause and understand what it means that Israel has decided and implemented famine as a method of war for the purposes of ethnic cleansing and to advance its colonial objectives.”

Israel, he said, “tells us trucks are entering and crossings are open and markets are flourishing, or blames others for the siege it is imposing, while the UN, humanitarian NGOs, and all states around the world are saying the opposite.”

Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon said “today's report from the IPC is the latest hand ball thrown against the wall. It is a true masterclass in misinformation, bias and dishonest reporting. So if you take even a moment to examine its claims rationally, that mud slides down to the floor, exposing the emptiness and libel hidden beneath. It is an exercise in slander disguised as a humanitarian concern. The IPC’s latest report echoes one of the most unfounded, slanderous accusations against the state of Israel throughout this conflict.”

The 17 October Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report for Gaza indicates that between September and October 2024, the whole territory is classified in IPC Phase 4 (Emergency). About 1.84 million people across the Gaza Strip are experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity classified in IPC Phase 3 (Crisis) or above, including nearly 133,000 people facing catastrophic food insecurity (IPC Phase 5) and 664,000, in IPC Phase 4 (Emergency). Acute Malnutrition is at serious levels (IPC AMN Phase 3), ten times higher than before the escalation of the hostilities.

The Famine Review Committee (FRC) alert issued on 8 November expresses concern about an imminent and substantial likelihood of famine occurring, due to the rapidly deteriorating situation in the Gaza Strip. While an IPC update will be conducted, the Alert serves to draw immediate attention on the need to take urgent action to alleviate this humanitarian catastrophe in areas of the northern Gaza Strip.

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