The humanitarian “crisis” unfolding in Gaza “could change tomorrow” if politics take leadership, according to Oxfam.

It's estimated that almost half a million people are now starving in Gaza.

The latest UN-partnered IPC report shows that 96% of the population, over 2 million people, face acute food insecurity at a “crisis” level or higher.

'Children are starving'

Oxfam Ireland’s CEO Jim Clarken said the situation is catastrophic.

“We see everyday images of children who are starving to death or who are born barely alive and are struggling to survive,” he told Newstalk.

“We also know that the highest concentration of people in the world is in Al-Mawazi camp.

“In that camp, there is one latrine for every 4,000 people.

“Drinking water is getting rarer and more unsafe and it's accelerating the spread of disease.”

A UNRWA member inspect the site of an Israeli strike on a school sheltering displaced Palestinians in Nuseirat refugee camp, 14/05/2024. Image: Imago / Alamy Stock Photo

Mr Clarken said world leaders need to intervene.

“It's absolutely in the hands of world leaders,” he said.

“In the morning, they could change the direction of this conflict.

“There's food and supplies waiting within reach of people who are starving in Gaza and Israel is not allowing it to happen - and the world is letting them do that.

“This could change tomorrow if the political leadership was there and put the pressure on and made this happen.”

The IPC report also identified the continuing conflict and severely restricted access to humanitarian aid as underpinning the impending famine in Gaza.

Main image: Tents for displaced people are crowded west of Deir al-Balah city in the central Gaza Strip, 12-5-24. Image: ZUMA Press, Inc. / Alamy