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Source: https://www.inss.org.il/publication/un-hunger-reports/
The Misleading Reports of the UN on Famine in Gaza
(Institute for National Security Studies-Tel Aviv University) Dr. Tammy Caner - The humanitarian situation in Gaza is at the center of a campaign against Israel in the international arena. Israel is accused of blocking humanitarian aid and even following a policy of deliberate starvation of the Palestinian population. The basis of these accusations is reports published by the UN Office of Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Israel publishes its own regular reports and updates through the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT). A comparison of the two sets of reports shows significant discrepancies between the figures provided by COGAT and the UN. An examination of the reason for these gaps reveals that the UN reports are based on incomplete data from sources within Gaza, without disclosing the source of the data and the fact that the figures do not reflect all the aid entering the Strip. Thus, the UN plays a central role in the false accusations that Israel is conducting a policy of starvation. It is difficult to understate the immense harm caused to Israel by the biased UN reports. While it is undeniable that the people in Gaza are facing significant hardship due to the ongoing war, the fact that there are hungry people in Gaza does not indicate a state of famine in the area, and certainly not intentional starvation of the population by Israel. The writer is a researcher in the Law and National Security program at INSS.