United Nations Security Council Open Debate PROTECTION OF CIVILIANS IN ARMED CONFLICT - RESOLUTION 2417 (2018) Update on food security risks in Gaza

Madame President, Distinguished Members of the Council, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

1. Today, the people of Gaza are experiencing catastrophic levels of conflict-induced food insecurity and a high risk of conflict induced famine. That risk is increasing by the day.
2. The main factors driving this risk are: intensifying hostilities, further reduction in access to food, basic services and lifesaving assistance, and extreme concentration or isolation of people in inadequate facilities or areas without basic services.
3. In December, an Integrated Food Security Phase Classification analysis was released that detailed the levels of acute food insecurity in Gaza.
4. The key findings are extremely troubling.
5. 378 000 people were estimated to be experiencing Catastrophe, IPC Phase 5 - the most severe phase of acute food insecurity, marked by starvation, critical levels of acute malnutrition, and high levels of excess mortality.
6. The IPC Famine Review Committee warned then that the risk of famine would increase daily.  The entire population of about 2.2 million people in the Gaza Strip is estimated to be in Crisis or worse (IPC Phase 3 and above), the highest percentage of people experiencing such acute food insecurity that the IPC has ever classified.
7. About 50 percent of the population is projected to be in Emergency (IPC Phase 4) and, at least, one in four households conservatively assessed to now be in Catastrophic or famine like conditions (IPC Phase 5).
8. Excellencies, allow me to elaborate more specifically on the impact of the conflict on agrifood systems.
9. Civilian infrastructure, including that essential for the production, processing and distribution of food such as farmland, greenhouses, bakeries and irrigation, has been severely damaged, destroyed or made inaccessible.
10. Since 9 October, the Government of Israel's reinforced blockade has included stopping or restricting food, electricity and fuel supplies, as well as commercial goods.
11. The entire food supply chain has been affected in different ways:
    1. Severe restrictions on fuel shipments are crippling the functioning of water infrastructure and desalination plants, the production and delivery of key food commodities, and the provision of electricity.
    2. Electricity blackouts are severely disrupting agricultural activities, and water infrastructure. The only electricity available in the Gaza Strip comes from solar panels and generators, for which there is little available fuel.
    3. Shortages of safe water persist. The water supply was at only 7 percent of pre-October levels, with sources restricted to water trucking, one functional desalination plant, and one of the three main water supply lines, the latter of which was only restored on 30 December.  Around 97 percent of the ground water in Gaza is reportedly unfit for human consumption.
    4. The commercial sector has been decimated due to the near complete lack of imports of essential items, including food. The lack of imports means that food stocks have been rapidly depleted
    5. Bakeries’ capacity to produce bread has been seriously hampered.
    6. Before the current conflict, Gaza’s food production allowed self-sufficiency in most fruits and vegetables; the conflict has severely disrupted this.
    7. In the most likely scenario, agricultural production will have collapsed in the northern by May 2024. We are already seeing this collapse.
    8. Satellite data analysis from December 2023 shows a significant decline in the health and density of crops across Gaza when compared to the preceding six seasons.
    9. As of 15 February 2024, 42.6% of all cropland was assessed to be damaged. Within the governorate of Gaza specifically, 54.8%  percent of crop lands were damaged. Likewise, agricultural infrastructure has been devastated, with the highest levels of destruction to animal shelters, sheep farms, dairy farms, home barns and broiler farms.
    10. Over one-quarter of wells had been destroyed with destruction most significant in North Gaza and Gaza City.
    11. 339 hectares of greenhouses had been destroyed, most severely in Gaza City, North Gaza and Khan Younis.
    12. Moreover, the harvest of olives and citrus fruits, which provides an important source of income , has been heavily impacted by the hostilities.

        Lack of access to fodder and damage from airstrikes have taken a toll on livestock owners, with many breeders reporting substantial losses.

        By the end of January 2024, all broiler poultry are assumed to have been slaughtered or died due to lack of water and fodder.

        The mortality rate of calves is assumed to be between 50–65 percent and approximately 70 percent of beef cattle and 50 percent of small ruminants are estimated to be dead.

    13. Gaza’s fishing sector indirectly providing livelihoods for over 100 000) people, has come to a standstill.
    14. In addition, heavy restrictions on humanitarian assistance, including food and the fuel required to distribute it have rendered impossible any meaningful humanitarian operations.
    15. As such, current levels of assistance are completely disproportionate to the overwhelming needs
    Excellencies,
12. The cessation of hostilities and  restoration of humanitarian space to deliver multisectoral assistance and restore services are essential first steps in eliminating a risk of Famine.
13. A critical priority is to restore safe and sustained humanitarian access throughout the Gaza Strip and to all those in need of lifesaving assistance.
14. Border crossings should be reopened, including for commercial traffic. Essential commodities must be allowed to move into and throughout Gaza.
15. Immediate, multisectoral humanitarian assistance must be provided to the entire population, with priority given to the most vulnerable.
16. Basic services must be restored. This includes restoring  cross-border water pipelines, resuming electricity distribution, and restoring health facilities, water infrastructure, food processing and production, financial facilities, telecommunications, among others.

    Excellencies,

17. I thank the Council again for its attention to the food security situation in Gaza.

    The FAO Director-General has joined the Secretary-General in calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire to ease civilian suffering and to facilitate delivery of urgent assistance at scale.

    All parties must respect their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law and protect civilians.

    An immediate ceasefire and peace are a prerequisite for food security, and the Right to Food is a basic human right.

18. Thank you.