Arab League holds emergency meeting to discuss Gaza humanitarian crisis

Representatives of the Arab League held an emergency meeting in Cairo on Tuesday to discuss the war in Gaza and the unfolding humanitarian crisis inside the enclave. 

Palestine requested the extraordinary session amid the escalating famine threatening the more than 2 million people living in Gaza. 

“Gaza is dying of hunger, Gaza is planned to be [evacuated], a so-called humanitarian city is being prepared for Gaza, a new city of death and prison under humanitarian labels”, said Ahmad Abu Holi, a member of the Palestine Liberation Organization’s executive committee.

Abu Holi condemned the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which has largely taken over aid distribution in the enclave since the end of Israel’s 11-week aid blockade.

He said the Israeli-backed group forces civilians to “fall in killing traps”, or “die from hunger.” 

More than 1,000 starving people have been killed since the end of May, according to the United Nations Palestinian Refugees agency (UNRWA).

The UN food agency, meanwhile, accused Israeli forces of firing on a crowd of Palestinians seeking humanitarian aid over the weekend.

The Gaza Health Ministry called it one of the deadliest attacks on aid-seekers in the war that has driven the territory to the brink of famine.

Jordan’s representative to the Arab League, Amjad Adaileh, said the Arab states “won’t forget the steadfast Gaza whose people are bleeding, suffering and starving, due to the brutal and continuous violations against the [Gaza] Strip for 21 months.”

Several NGOs, including Amnesty International, have accused Israel of using starvation in Gaza as a weapon of genocide. 

In a previous summit, Arab League leaders called for increased pressure on Israel to end the war in Gaza.