January 13, 2024 Israel-Hamas war

Commercial goods are desperately needed in Gaza to prevent an incoming famine as Israel approaches the 100th day of its war in the enclave, according to the head of the main United Nations agency working in Gaza.

“The crisis in Gaza is a man-made disaster compounded by dehumanizing language and the use of food, water and fuel as instruments of war,” United Nations Relief and Works Agency Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said in a statement Saturday. “Humanitarian aid alone will not be sufficient to reverse a looming famine.”

Lazzarini urged leaders to heed the calls for a humanitarian ceasefire and enable the delivery of more food, medicine, water and shelter to those affected by the enclave’s “mass displacement.”

More than 1.4 million people are staying in “overcrowded and unsanitary” UN shelters, where they lack food and hygiene, according to Lazzarini.

The commissioner-general also spoke of the war’s toll on Israelis since Hamas launched its devastating attack on the country on October 7, 2023. Dozens of hostages captured during the attack remain held in Gaza.

“It’s been 100 days of ordeal and anxiety for hostages and their families,” Lazzarini said.