A report warning of famine conditions for 1.1 million Palestinians in Gaza is a 'projection' and not the situation on the ground, according to the Israeli Ambassador to Ireland.
The UN-backed report earlier this week warned famine may occur by the end of May if an immediate cessation of hostilities, and sustained access for the provision of essential supplies and services to the population, does not take place.
Data indicates that the "entire population" of Gaza - some 2.3 million people - are enduring high levels of "acute" food insecurity.
Ambassador Dana Erlich told The Pat Kenny Show the report is not an accurate picture of what is happening today.
"That is a projection, it's not the situation on the ground - it's a projection of what might happen," she said.
"They also admitted that all of that projection does not take into account the current scale-up attempts to bring more and more aid".
'UNICEF getting paid to campaign'
Responding to comments by UNICEF Ireland Executive Director Peter Power about aid being restricted, Ambassador Erlich said Mr Power is doing what he is supposed to do.
"UNICEF here in Ireland is getting paid to campaign for Palestinian children," she said.
"They are not getting paid to speak on behalf of Israeli children and that is why they're not even mentioning the Israeli children who are now kidnapped in Gaza.
"He's doing his job - campaigning for money to be given for Gaza".
Ambassador Erlich said there is no limit to aid getting in.
"There is a lot of misinformation so let me be very clear, we've said it and I'll say it as many times as needed," she said.
"There is no limit of how much aid can go in.
"We've facilitated aid in more crossing through land, though air and through the ocean as well with the maritime corridor that we facilitated.
"Every day we sit with UN organisation to make sure that more and more aid goes in".
'Looting and theft'
Ambassador Erlich said "about 5,000 tonnes" of food goes into Gaza each day.
"The problem is not aid going into Gaza, the problem is aid being distributed in Gaza.
"We've seen the looting and theft and control by Hamas of those trucks".
Ambassador Erlich said she agrees that enough is enough.
"None of this should have started," she said.
"This can all end if the kidnapped are released and if Hamas lay down the weapons, and even if leadership here in Ireland says Hamas is not part of the solution.
"Hamas cannot stay in power and Hamas needs to be disarmed," she added.
UN Secretary General António Guterres said the impending famine is "an entirely man-made disaster".
Israel has been accused of genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza in the aftermath of Hamas attacks against Israel on October 7th.
According to the Gaza health authority, 31,726 people have now been killed in the Gaza Strip and 73,792 injured since the outbreak of hostilities.
