RAMALLAH, July 24, 2025 (WAFA) – Palestinian human rights and civil society organizations have called on the United Nations to officially declare the Gaza Strip a famine zone, urging the international community to take immediate action to prevent mass deaths and ensure transparent, internationally supervised humanitarian aid delivery.
The call came during a joint press conference held in Ramallah on Thursday, organized by the Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR), the Palestinian NGO Network, and the Palestinian Human Rights Organizations Council. The groups warned of the severe deterioration of humanitarian and health conditions in Gaza, as the famine reaches a new and deadly stage.
"The systematic starvation policy is now entering a phase of preventing reproduction and physical extermination. This is a new stage of the ongoing genocide in the Gaza Strip, which has lasted for more than 21 months," said Issam Aruri, General Commissioner of the ICHR.
Amjad Shawwa, Deputy Commissioner of the ICHR and head of the Palestinian NGO Network in Gaza, presented alarming statistics about the dire situation. He reported that more than 2.2 million people, roughly 94% of Gaza's population, have been forcibly displaced into an area that represents just 12% of the Strip’s total territory, about 50 square kilometers.
He added that 82% of hospitals in Gaza are now out of service, and 75% of medicines and essential medical supplies have been completely depleted.
The organizations also expressed outright rejection of any dealings with the so-called "Gaza Humanitarian Foundation," accusing it of turning aid centers into "death traps." They demanded the replacement of such entities with transparent mechanisms under international supervision to guarantee safe and equitable aid access.
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