AMY GOODMAN: We begin today’s show in Gaza, where the United Nations and other organizations are issuing ever-dire warnings as Israel’s assault stretches into its ninth month. The head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, warned last week, quote, “A significant proportion of Gaza’s population is now facing catastrophic hunger and famine-like conditions.” The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, says over 50,000 children now require immediate medical treatment for acute malnutrition. Medical workers are struggling to treat sick and malnourished patients in Israel’s destruction of Gaza’s health infrastructure and water supply.
On Sunday, the Israeli military announced a daytime tactical pause in its attacks on Rafah to allow humanitarian aid to enter the strip, but the head of UNRWA says operationally nothing has changed in southern Gaza. Israel has been systematically blocking aid from reaching Palestinians in Gaza for the last eight months. Israeli forces have also targeted Palestinians seeking the scarce aid and have killed more aid workers than any war since the U.N. was formed.
Israeli forces have also killed Palestinians as they attempt to bring food home to their families, including last Wednesday, when troops fired at a group of fishermen in Gaza, killing two of them. That attack was witnessed by our next guest, UNICEF spokesperson James Elder, who’s joining us now from Rafah.