Retraction of FEWS NET Report about Gaza's Famine Sparks Outrage and Criticism

The withdrawal of the FEWS NET report on the famine in Gaza has provoked significant anger and scrutiny.

News ID: 85532

Date: 30 December 2024 - 09:22

TEHRAN (Defapress) - According to Al Jazeera, the Biden administration is encountering backlash following the retraction of a US-backed report concerning famine in the Gaza Strip last week, which has led to allegations of political interference and pro-Israel favoritism.

The report, produced by the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET), an organization that monitors global food insecurity, issued a warning on Wednesday about a potential "famine scenario" developing in northern Gaza due to Israel's ongoing siege.

This FEWS NET report, dated December 23, raises alarms over the dire humanitarian situation in northern Gaza, where Israel has imposed a near-total blockade on humanitarian food supplies for nearly 80 days. The blockade has severely impacted areas such as Jabalia, Beit Lahiya, and Beit Hanoon, where rights organizations estimate that thousands of Palestinians are trapped without adequate access to essential resources.

The report details the collapse of food systems and worsening conditions regarding access to water, sanitation, and healthcare services in these regions. According to FEWS NET, it is highly likely that the thresholds for food consumption and acute malnutrition have surpassed the "Famine" classification (IPC Phase 5) in the North Gaza Governorate. The network added that without a change to Israeli policy on food supplies entering the area, it expected that two to 15 people would die per day from January to March at least, which would surpass the “famine threshold”.

However, the report was removed just hours later.

According to the Associated Press, citing unnamed US officials, the retraction was requested by the US government. FEWS NET receives funding from the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

The report elicited public criticism from the US Ambassador to Israel, Jack Lew, who stated on Tuesday that FEWS NET had utilized "outdated and inaccurate" data.

Lew contested the estimated number of civilians residing in northern Gaza, asserting that the population was "in the range of 7,000-15,000, not 65,000-75,000," which formed the basis of the report.

In response, advocates for Palestinian rights condemned the ambassador's comments, with some accusing Lew of seemingly endorsing the forced displacement of Palestinians in Gaza.