WFP Chief Warns of Famine in Gaza Strip

The Director of the UN World Food Programme (WFP) Cindy McCain, in an interview, warned that Gaza is “on the brink of famine” 

TEHRAN (FNA)- The Director of the UN World Food Programme (WFP) Cindy McCain, in an interview with the US television channel CBS, warned that Gaza is “on the brink of famine” and called for more aid to the besieged territory as the end of the four-day truce draws near.

McCain, who is the widow of the late Republican Senator and presidential candidate John McCain, also said that a life-threatening form of malnutrition in children could increase by nearly 30 percent in the territory.

“First of all, the… bottom line here is that we need to get more aid in as… has been said, we’re looking at … possibly being on the brink of famine in this region,” McCain told CBS Face the Nation moderator Magaret Brennan.

“This is something that … will spread. And with that comes disease and… everything else that you can imagine,” she added.

She said she is hopeful that the delivery of services can be done for a longer period and “not just four days”, referring to the truce, which is set to end on Tuesday.

Israel unleashed a bombardment campaign against Gaza on October 7, after the Palestinian resistance groups launched Operation Al-Aqsa Storm in response to decades of violence against Palestinians.

Since the attack, Israel has bombarded the Palestinian territory, launched a ground offensive and severely restricted supplies of water, food and electricity.

A four-day truce took effect on Friday to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza after seven weeks of unrelenting bombardment.

According to the Gaza-based health ministry, so far nearly 15,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes, most of them women and children.