US humanitarian envoy for Gaza: Imminent risk of famine for majority of Gaza’s population

The Biden administration’s Gaza humanitarian envoy warns “there is an imminent risk of famine for the majority, if not all, the 2.2 million population of Gaza.”

“This is not a point in debate. It is an established fact, which the United States, its experts, the international community, its experts assess and believe is real,” David Satterfield says during a virtual event hosted by the American Jewish Committee.

Israel has pushed back on last month’s UN-backed food security classification that warned of looming famine in northern Gaza, arguing that there is more food and water in Gaza than humanitarian workers have claimed.

“The ability to avert that challenge for that innocent population depends on a dramatic increase in the volume of humanitarian assistance that is distributed into and within Gaza,” Satterfield says.