Latest news with #IntegratedFoodSecurityPhaseClassification
NBC News
16 hours ago
- Politics
- NBC News
Driven to starvation, Sudanese people eat weeds and plants to survive as war rages
With Sudan in the grips of war and millions struggling to find enough to eat, many are turning to weeds and wild plants to quiet their pangs of hunger. They boil the plants in water with salt because, simply, there is nothing else. Grateful for the lifeline it offered, a 60-year-old retired school teacher penned a love poem about a plant called Khadija Koro. It was 'a balm for us that spread through the spaces of fear,' he wrote, and kept him and many others from starving. A.H, who spoke on the condition his full name not be used, because he feared retribution from the warring parties for speaking to the press, is one of 24.6 million people in Sudan facing acute food insecurity —nearly half the population, according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification. Aid workers say the war spiked market prices, limited aid delivery, and shrunk agricultural lands in a country that was once a breadbasket of the world. Sudan plunged into war in April 2023 when simmering tensions between the Sudanese army and its rival paramilitary the Rapid Support Forces escalated to fighting in the capital Khartoum and spread across the country, killing over 20,000 people, displacing nearly 13 million people, and pushing many to the brink of famine in what aid workers deemed the world's largest hunger crisis. Food insecurity is especially bad in areas in the Kordofan region, the Nuba Mountains, and Darfur, where El Fasher and Zamzam camp are inaccessible to the Norwegian Refugee Council, said Mathilde Vu, an aid worker with the group based in Port Sudan. Some people survive on just one meal a day, which is mainly millet porridge. In North Darfur, some people even sucked on coal to ease their hunger. On Friday, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the Sudanese military leader Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan and asked him for a week-long ceasefire in El Fasher to allow aid delivery. Burhan agreed to that request, according to an army statement, but it's unknown whether the RSF would agree to that truce. A.H. said aid distribution often provided slight relief. His wife in children live in Obeid and also struggle to secure enough food due to high prices in the market. His poem continued: 'You were a world that sends love into the barren time. You were a woman woven from threads of the sun. You were the sandalwood and the jasmine and a revelation of green, glowing and longing.' Fighting restricted travel, worsening food insecurity Sudanese agricultural minister Abu Bakr al-Bashari told Al-Hadath news channel in April that there are no indicators of famine in the country, but there is shortage of food supplies in areas controlled by the paramilitary forces, known as RSF. However, Leni Kinzli, World Food Programme Sudan spokesperson, said 17 areas in Gezeira, most of the Darfur region, and Khartoum, including Jebel Aulia are at risk of famine. Each month, over 4 million people receive assistance from the group, including 1.7 million in areas facing famine or at risk, Kinzli said. The state is suffering from two conflicts: one between the Rapid Support Forces and the army, and another with the People's Liberation Movement-North, who are fighting against the army and have ties with the RSF, making it nearly impossible to access food, clean water, or medicine. He can't travel to Obeid in North Kordofan to be with his family, as the Rapid Support Forces blocked roads. Violence and looting have made travel unsafe, forcing residents to stay in their neighborhoods, limiting their access to food, aid workers said. A.H. is supposed to get a retirement pension from the government, but the process is slow, so he doesn't have a steady income. He can only transfer around $35 weekly to his family out of temporary training jobs, which he says is not enough. Hassan, another South Kordofan resident in Kadugli said that the state has turned into a 'large prison for innocent citizens' due to the lack of food, water, shelter, income, and primary health services caused by the RSF siege. International and grassroots organizations in the area where he lives were banned by the local government, according to Hassan, who asked to be identified only by his first name in fear of retribution for speaking publicly while being based in an area often engulfed with fighting. So residents ate the plants out of desperation. 'You would groan to give life an antidote when darkness appeared to us through the window of fear.,' A.H. wrote in his poem. 'You were the light, and when our tears filled up our in the eyes, you were the nectar. Food affordability Vu warned that food affordability is another ongoing challenge as prices rise in the markets. A physical cash shortage prompted the Norwegian Refugee Council to replace cash assistance with vouchers. Meanwhile, authorities monopolize some markets and essential foods such as corn, wheat flour, sugar and salt are only sold through security approvals, according to Hassan. Meanwhile, in southwest Sudan, residents of Nyala, the capital of South Darfur, rely on growing crops, but agricultural lands are shrinking due to fighting and lack of farming resources. Hawaa Hussein, a woman who has been displaced in El Serif camp since 2004, told the AP that they benefit from the rainy season but they're lacking essential farming resources such as seeds and tractors to grow beans, peanuts, sesame, wheat, and weika — dried powdered okra. Hussein, a grandmother living with eight family members, said her family receives a food parcel every two months, containing lentils, salt, oil, and biscuits. Sometimes she buys items from the market with the help of community leaders. 'There are many families in the camp, mine alone has five children, and so aid is not enough for everyone … you also can't eat while your neighbor is hungry and in need,' she said. El Serif camp is sheltering nearly 49,000 displaced people, the camp's civic leader Abdalrahman Idris told the AP. Since the war began in 2023, the camp has taken in over 5,000 new arrivals, with a recent surge coming from the greater Khartoum region, which is the Sudanese military said it took full control of in May. 'The food that reaches the camp makes up only 5% of the total need. Some people need jobs and income. People now only eat two meals, and some people can't feed their children,' he said. In North Darfur, south of El Fasher, lies Zamzam camp, one of the worst areas struck by famine and recent escalating violence. An aid worker with the Emergency Response Rooms previously based in the camp who asked not to be identified in fear of retribution for speaking with the press, told the AP that the recent wave of violence killed some and left others homeless. Barely anyone was able to afford food from the market as a pound of sugar costs 20,000 Sudanese pounds ($33) and a soap bar 10,000 Sudanese pounds ($17). The recent attacks in Zamzam worsened the humanitarian situation and he had to flee to a safer area. Some elderly men, pregnant women, and children have died of starvation and the lack of medical treatment, according to an aid worker, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he's fearful of retribution for speaking publicly while living in an area controlled by one of the warring parties. He didn't provide the exact number of those deaths. He said the situation in Zamzam camp is dire—'as if people were on death row.' Yet A.H. finished his poem with hope:
Days of Palestine
3 days ago
- Politics
- Days of Palestine
UN: Israel's Weaponization of Food in Gaza Constitutes War Crime
DayofPal– The United Nations Human Rights Office has declared that Israel's manipulation of humanitarian aid access in Gaza amounts to a potential war crime, citing the systematic killing of civilians seeking food and the obstruction of critical life-saving supplies. In a press briefing in Geneva on Tuesday, UN human rights spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan condemned 'Israel's militarized humanitarian assistance mechanism,' referring to a controversial aid distribution system set up by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). 'Desperate, hungry people in Gaza continue to face the inhumane choice of either starving to death or risk being killed while trying to get food,' Al-Kheetan said. 'The weaponization of food for civilians, in addition to restricting or preventing their access to life-sustaining services, constitutes a war crime and, under certain circumstances, may constitute elements of other crimes under international law.' Asked whether Israel was culpable under international law, Al-Kheetan emphasized that 'the legal qualification needs to be made by a court of law.' Since GHF began operations in Gaza on May 27, Israeli forces have killed more than 520 Palestinians near its aid distribution points, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Another 39 starved people are reported missing after attempting to reach the sites. Human rights organizations and aid agencies have accused Israel of transforming humanitarian corridors into zones of slaughter, describing scenes of chaos and carnage as thousands of Palestinians rush for limited aid. Israeli forces have been accused of targeting these gatherings with live fire and drone strikes, making access to food a deadly gamble. Gaza's Government Media Office has described the GHF sites as 'mass traps' and 'slaughterhouses.' The situation has deteriorated further since March 2, when Israel closed Gaza's main crossings, halting the flow of food, medical, and humanitarian supplies. Humanitarian agencies say the blockade has plunged Gaza's 2.3 million residents into an increasingly desperate situation, with starvation now a pressing reality for vast segments of the population. A recent report by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) warned that nearly 25% of Gaza's population faces catastrophic levels of food insecurity, the highest classification under the IPC system (Phase 5), in the coming months. Despite growing international condemnation, limited aid has reached Gaza through the GHF. The organization has come under fire for its lack of transparency, restricted delivery routes, and selective distribution that leaves vast areas without relief. Most humanitarian organizations, including the UN, have distanced themselves from the GHF, citing its violations of humanitarian principles. Critics say the group restricts aid to southern and central Gaza, forces civilians to travel dangerous distances, and distributes only a fraction of the aid needed. Doctors Without Borders (MSF) warned that 'weaponizing aid in this manner may constitute crimes against humanity.' In a statement, the group added: 'Every day Palestinians are met with carnage in their attempts to receive supplies from the insufficient amount of aid trickling into Gaza.' UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini also condemned the system in a statement on X describing it as 'lethal.' 'Palestinian lives have been so devalued,' Lazzarini said. 'It is now the routine to shoot & kill desperate & starving people while they try to collect little food from a company made of mercenaries.' 'Inviting starving people to their death is a war crime. Those responsible of this system must be held accountable,' he added. 'This is a disgrace & a stain on our collective consciousness.' The UN has confirmed that, despite severe famine conditions, Israel continues to block most food shipments into Gaza, allowing only a handful of aid trucks to pass. Shortlink for this post:
Yemen Online
5 days ago
- General
- Yemen Online
Yemen: Nearly half the population facing acute food insecurity in some southern areas
The food security situation in Government-controlled areas of southern Yemen is dire, with nearly half the population facing acute food insecurity and struggling to find their next meal. Yemen remains trapped in a prolonged political, humanitarian and development crisis, after enduring years of conflict between government forces and Houthi rebels, with populations in the south of the country now facing a growing food insecurity crisis. A partial update released Monday by the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) system – which ranks food insecurity from Phase 1 to famine conditions, or Phase 5 – paints a grim picture. Starting in May 2025, around 4.95 million people have been facing crisis-level food insecurity or worse (Phase 3+), including 1.5 million facing emergency-level food insecurity (Phase 4). These numbers mark an increase of 370,000 people suffering from severe food insecurity compared to the period from November 2024 to February 2025. Further deterioration The UN World Food Programme (WFP) warned that 'looking ahead, the situation [was] expected to deteriorate further,' with 420,000 people potentially falling into crisis-level food insecurity or worse. This would bring the total number of severely food-insecure people in southern governorate areas to 5.38 million – more than half the population. Multiple compounded crises – such as sustained economic decline, currency depreciation in southern governorates, conflict, and increasingly severe weather – are driving food insecurity in Yemen. High-risk areas Amid Yemen's growing food crisis, humanitarian agencies including WFP, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) are reorienting their efforts towards high-risk areas, delivering integrated support across food security, nutrition, sanitation, health, and protection to maximise life-saving impact. 'The fact that more and more people in Yemen don't know where their next meal will come from is extremely concerning at a time when we are experiencing unprecedented funding challenges,' said Siemon Hollema, Deputy Country Director of WFP in Yemen. Immediate support needed WFP, UNICEF and FAO are urgently calling for sustained and large-scale humanitarian and livelihood assistance to prevent communities from falling deeper into food insecurity, and to ensure that the UN 'can continue to serve the most vulnerable families that have nowhere else to turn,' he said. Internally displaced persons, low-income rural households, and vulnerable children are particularly affected, and are now facing increased vulnerability, as approximately 2.4 million children under the age of five and 1.5 million pregnant and lactating women are currently suffering from acute malnutrition. The situation is dire, but with urgent support, 'we can revitalise local food production, safeguard livelihoods, and move from crisis to resilience building, ensuring efficiency and impact,' said FAO Representative in Yemen, Dr. Hussain Gadain.
The Hill
12-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Egypt blocks activists aiming to march to Gaza to draw attention to humanitarian crisis
RABAT, Morocco (AP) — Egypt blocked activists planning to take part in a march to Gaza, halting their attempt to reach the border and challenge Israel's blockade on humanitarian aid to the Palestinian territory before it could begin. To draw attention to the humanitarian crisis afflicting people in Gaza, marchers have for months planned to trek 30 miles (48 kilometers) across the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt's border with the enclave on Sunday to 'create international moral and media pressure' to open the crossing at Rafah and lift a blockade that has prevented aid from entering. Authorities have deported more than three dozen activists, mostly carrying European passports, upon their arrival at the Cairo International Airport in the past two days, an Egyptian official said Thursday. The official said the activists aimed to travel to Northern Sinai 'without obtaining required authorizations.' The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to brief the media. Egypt has publicly denounced the restrictions on aid entering Gaza and repeatedly called for an end to the war. It has said that the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing remains open, but access to the strip has been blocked since Israel seized the Palestinian side of the border as part of its war with Hamas that began in October 2023. Food security experts warn the Gaza Strip will likely fall into famine if Israel doesn't lift its blockade and stop its military campaign. Nearly half a million Palestinians are facing possible starvation, and 1 million others can barely get enough food, according to findings by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, a leading international authority. Israel has rejected the findings, saying the IPC's previous forecasts had proven unfounded. The Egyptian government has for years clamped down on dissidents and activists when their criticism touches on Cairo's political and economic ties with Israel, a sensitive issue in neighboring countries where governments maintain diplomatic relations with Israel despite broad public sympathy for Palestinians. Egypt had earlier warned that only those who received authorization would be allowed to travel the planned march route, acknowledging it had received 'numerous requests and inquiries.' 'Egypt holds the right to take all necessary measures to preserve its national security, including the regulation of the entry and movement of individuals within its territory, especially in sensitive border areas,' its foreign ministry said in a statement on Wednesday. Israel Katz, Israel's defense minister, yesterday referred to the protestors as 'jihadists' and called on Egypt to prevent them from reaching the border with Gaza. He said they 'endanger the Egyptian regime and constitute a threat to all moderate Arab regimes in the region.' The march is set to begin just days after a large convoy, which organizers said included thousands of activists, traveled overland across North Africa to Egypt. Activists and attorneys said airport detentions and deportations began Wednesday with no explicit reason given by Egyptian authorities. Algerian attorney Fatima Rouibi wrote on Facebook that Algerians, including three lawyers, were detained at the airport on Wednesday before being released and ultimately deported back to Algiers on Thursday. Bilal Nieh, a Tunisian activist who lives in Germany, said he was deported along with seven others from northern Africa who also hold European passports. He wrote on Facebook early Thursday that authorities 'didn't give any reason or document stating the reason for deportation.' Governments of countries whose citizens were reportedly detained or deported, including France, had not issued any public comment on the activists as of Thursday morning. Organizers said in a statement that they had received reports that at least 170 participants had been delayed or detained in Cairo. They said they had followed the protocols laid out by Egyptian authorities, met with them and urged them to let march participants into the country. 'We look forward to providing any additional information the Egyptian authorities require to ensure the march continues peacefully as planned to the Rafah border,' they said in a statement. The Global March to Gaza is the latest civil society effort pressing for the entry of food, fuel, medical supplies, and other aid into Gaza. Israel imposed a total blockade in March in an attempt to pressure Hamas to disarm and to release hostages taken in Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 attack that ignited the war in the Gaza Strip. It slightly eased restrictions last month, allowing limited aid in, but experts warn the measures fall far short. Israel's offensive has killed over 52,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, whose count does not distinguish between civilians or combatants. __ Natalie Melzer contributed reporting from Nahariya, Israel.
Hamilton Spectator
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Egypt blocks activists aiming to march to Gaza to draw attention to humanitarian crisis
RABAT, Morocco (AP) — Egypt blocked activists planning to take part in a march to Gaza, halting their attempt to reach the border and challenge Israel's blockade on humanitarian aid to the Palestinian territory before it could begin. To draw attention to the humanitarian crisis afflicting people in Gaza, marchers have for months planned to trek 30 miles (48 kilometers) across the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt's border with the enclave on Sunday to 'create international moral and media pressure' to open the crossing at Rafah and lift a blockade that has prevented aid from entering. Authorities have deported more than three dozen activists, mostly carrying European passports, upon their arrival at the Cairo International Airport in the past two days, an Egyptian official said Thursday. The official said the activists aimed to travel to Northern Sinai 'without obtaining required authorizations.' The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to brief the media. Egypt has publicly denounced the restrictions on aid entering Gaza and repeatedly called for an end to the war. It has said that the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing remains open, but access to the strip has been blocked since Israel seized the Palestinian side of the border as part of its war with Hamas that began in October 2023. Food security experts warn the Gaza Strip will likely fall into famine if Israel doesn't lift its blockade and stop its military campaign . Nearly half a million Palestinians are facing possible starvation , and 1 million others can barely get enough food, according to findings by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, a leading international authority. Israel has rejected the findings, saying the IPC's previous forecasts had proven unfounded. Sensitivities and security The Egyptian government has for years clamped down on dissidents and activists when their criticism touches on Cairo's political and economic ties with Israel, a sensitive issue in neighboring countries where governments maintain diplomatic relations with Israel despite broad public sympathy for Palestinians. Egypt had earlier warned that only those who received authorization would be allowed to travel the planned march route, acknowledging it had received 'numerous requests and inquiries.' 'Egypt holds the right to take all necessary measures to preserve its national security, including the regulation of the entry and movement of individuals within its territory, especially in sensitive border areas,' its foreign ministry said in a statement on Wednesday. Israel Katz, Israel's defense minister, yesterday referred to the protestors as 'jihadists' and called on Egypt to prevent them from reaching the border with Gaza. He said they 'endanger the Egyptian regime and constitute a threat to all moderate Arab regimes in the region.' The march is set to begin just days after a large convoy, which organizers said included thousands of activists, traveled overland across North Africa to Egypt. Marchers detained in Cairo Activists and attorneys said airport detentions and deportations began Wednesday with no explicit reason given by Egyptian authorities. Algerian attorney Fatima Rouibi wrote on Facebook that Algerians, including three lawyers, were detained at the airport on Wednesday before being released and ultimately deported back to Algiers on Thursday. Bilal Nieh, a Tunisian activist who lives in Germany, said he was deported along with seven others from northern Africa who also hold European passports. He wrote on Facebook early Thursday that authorities 'didn't give any reason or document stating the reason for deportation.' Governments of countries whose citizens were reportedly detained or deported, including France, had not issued any public comment on the activists as of Thursday morning. Organizers said in a statement that they had received reports that at least 170 participants had been delayed or detained in Cairo. They said they had followed the protocols laid out by Egyptian authorities, met with them and urged them to let march participants into the country. 'We look forward to providing any additional information the Egyptian authorities require to ensure the march continues peacefully as planned to the Rafah border,' they said in a statement. The Global March to Gaza is the latest civil society effort pressing for the entry of food, fuel, medical supplies, and other aid into Gaza. Israel imposed a total blockade in March in an attempt to pressure Hamas to disarm and to release hostages taken in Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 attack that ignited the war in the Gaza Strip. It slightly eased restrictions last month, allowing limited aid in, but experts warn the measures fall far short. Israel's offensive has killed over 52,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, whose count does not distinguish between civilians or combatants. __ Natalie Melzer contributed reporting from Nahariya, Israel. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
