... The UN on Friday officially declared a famine in Gaza, the first time it has done so in the Middle East, with experts warning 500,000 people face "catastrophic" hunger. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu slammed the report as an "outright lie" and said it ignored Israel's latest humanitarian steps. ...
The UN declaration of famine in Gaza is a welcome, but long overdue step that has cost lives, says Imad Almadhoun, a former English teacher who now works for Drops of Mercy, a local charity in the besieged Palestinian territory.
In an interview with FRANCE 24's Observers team from Gaza City, Almadhoun said the UN was "right to finally declare famine in Gaza " but it comes far too late. For months, families here have been starving, children collapsing, and hospitals overwhelmed".
The delay, he said, "cost lives. Without the formal famine label, there was less pressure for ceasefires, aid access, and accountability. Truth was spoken, but action was stalled.
"For us on the ground, it's a damning confirmation, not breaking news. While institutions debated wording, people in Gaza kept dying of hunger," he added.
Here's some of Almadhoun's testimony, which has been edited for brevity. ...
