In response to the alert issued by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Famine Review Committee (FRC) on November 8, which warned of imminent famine in the northern Gaza Strip, the UN Security Council held an urgent meeting. Slovenia joined the request to call for the briefing and stressed that both hunger and catastrophic circumstances in the North of Gaza are man-made. They are therefore predictable and should be preventable.

“Man-made famine is a form of slow violence causing lasting physical and psychological harm to survivors. It generates a social trauma, which passes through future generations,” stressed Ambassador Samuel Žbogar in his opening remarks. He emphasized that the protection of civilians in not a political issue but a non-negotiable principle. It is a legal obligation.

Over a year into the Gaza war, the UN Security Council has failed to put an end to this conflict. “This Council must act on it with a clear decision for a ceasefire, as humanitarian situation in itself becomes a threat to international peace and security,” urged the Ambassador. Additionally, the Council must demand  full humanitarian access as well as the provision of humanitarian assistance and commercial goods at scale, rapid recovery of local food system and WASH systems, and the unconditional release of all hostages.

Slovenia once again called for full implementation of all four Security Council resolutions and all orders of the ICJ on provisional measures. “We reject all attempts to starve Palestinians as the starvation as a method of warfare is prohibited by international law,” added Ambassador Žbogar.

Efforts to avert Gaza famine require immediate action to prevent the worst from happening. UNRWA remains the backbone of the humanitarian response in Gaza with no alternative. Slovenia therefore called on the Israeli Government not to implement the recently adopted legislation to ban UNRWA as it would have fatal consequences.

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