Israel's Gaza plan risks 'another calamity,' UN official warns

A UN official at the weekend warned the Security Council that Israel’s plans to control Gaza City risked “another calamity” with far-reaching consequences, as Benjamin Netanyahu insisted his goal was not to occupy the territory.

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The UN Security Council held a rare emergency weekend meeting after Israel said its military would “take control” of Gaza City in a plan approved by Prime Minister Netanyahu’s security cabinet that sparked a wave of global criticism.

“If these plans are implemented, they will likely trigger another calamity in Gaza, reverberating across the region and causing further forced displacement, killings, and destruction,” UN Assistant Secretary General Miroslav Jenca told the Security Council.

The UN’s humanitarian office OCHA said 98 children had died from acute malnutrition since the start of the conflict in October 2023, with 37 of those deaths since July, according to Gaza’s authorities.

“This is no longer a looming hunger crisis this is starvation, pure and simple,’ said OCHA’s coordination director Ramesh Rajasingham.