World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Wednesday blamed an Israeli blockade on humanitarian aid for causing man-made mass starvation in Gaza.
He spoke following an appeal by more than 100 aid agencies warning of hunger in Gaza while tons of food, clean water and medical supplies sit untouched just outside the territory.
"I don't know what you would call it other than mass starvation, and it's man-made, and that's very clear," Tedros told a virtual press conference live-streamed from Geneva. "This is because of (the) blockade."
Gaza's food stocks have run out since Israel cut off all supplies to the territory in March and then lifted that blockade in May – but with restrictions that it says are needed to prevent aid from being diverted to resistance groups.
As a result, international aid agencies say that only a trickle of what is needed is currently reaching people in Gaza.
