The United Nations has issued a stark warning that the Gaza Strip is on the brink of an unprecedented humanitarian disaster, with only a narrow and rapidly closing window to prevent famine from engulfing more of the population.

In a statement late Sunday, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher said: “Death, destruction, starvation, and the mass displacement of Palestinian civilians are the result of choices that defy international law and ignore the international community.”

Fletcher emphasized the urgency of the situation, noting that Israel’s latest forced displacement order against Palestinians in Gaza City comes just two weeks after famine was formally confirmed in the province, in the midst of what he described as a major genocide.

“There is a very slim window, until the end of September, to prevent famine from spreading to Deir al-Balah and Khan Yunis. But this window is closing rapidly,” Fletcher warned, calling for immediate action to avert a catastrophic loss of life.

The UN official stressed that unimpeded humanitarian access, protection of civilians, and enforcement of the International Court of Justice’s provisional measures are critical to saving lives. Fletcher reaffirmed, “We continue to insist that this horror can still be stopped.”

The warning comes amid an ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where decades of occupation, repeated military assaults, and an intensifying blockade have left millions of Palestinians facing starvation, displacement, and severe shortages of food, medicine, and basic supplies.

Humanitarian organizations continue to call on the international community to act decisively, emphasizing that the choices of political and military authorities are directly determining the survival of Gaza’s civilians.

The UN’s urgent message underscores that preventing famine is not only a moral imperative but a legal responsibility, and immediate global intervention is essential to protect the lives of Gaza’s most vulnerable, particularly children and the elderly. (ILKHA)