Article Starmer declares Gaza starvation caused by Israel must be remedied (UK brewing)

[Syne]

They've changed the criteria for declaring a famine, but just for Gaza.

UN-Backed Famine Watchdog Quietly Changed Standards, Easing Way To Declare Famine in Gaza

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification used a different metric for Gaza than it has used for other conflict zones, changing its rules to make it possible to declare a famine in the Strip

The U.N.-affiliated watchdog group that recently declared a "worst-case scenario of famine" in Gaza quietly changed one of its key reporting metrics while doing so, making it easier to formally declare that there is a famine in the Hamas-controlled territory.

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC)—a network of Western governments, the United Nations, and nonprofit groups—determined in a July 29 report "the worst-case scenario of famine is currently playing out in the Gaza Strip," claiming that "mounting evidence shows that widespread starvation, malnutrition, and disease are driving a rise in hunger-related deaths." Media outlets like the New York Times, NPR, CNN, and ABC News relied on the IPC report to claim that Israeli policies have led to mass starvation, with the Times stating that "months of severe aid restrictions imposed by Israel on the territory" have caused a famine "across most of Gaza."

Unlike previous IPC reports on the humanitarian situation in Gaza, the July report includes a metric—known as mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC)—the agency has not historically used to determine whether a famine is taking place. The report also includes a lowered threshold for the proportion of children who must be considered malnourished for the IPC to declare a famine, down to 15 percent from 30 percent.

Aid workers traditionally conduct detailed weight and height measurements to determine whether a child is suffering from acute malnutrition. MUAC, by contrast, consists only of a child's arm circumference, a measurement that can be done more quickly and is considered less precise. In the past, the IPC has declared famine after finding that 30 percent of children in an area are suffering from acute malnutrition using their weight and height measurements. In the recent Gaza report, the IPC said it would declare famine if it found that 15 percent of children were suffering from acute malnutrition using their arm circumference measurement and if the agency found unspecified "evidence of rapidly worsening underlying drivers."

[Syne]

CBS punishes an anchor for asking questions (doing journalism) of an anti-Israel author... on the anniversary of Oct 7th.

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/0NTiwYVMFxQ

Not everyone was buying it. CBS reporter Jan Crawford, who has been the CBS chief legal correspondent since 2009, rushed to Dokoupil’s defense.

“It sounds like we are calling out one of our anchors in a somewhat public setting on this call for failing to meet editorial standards for, I’m not even sure what,” she said. “I thought our commitment was to truth. And when someone comes on our air with a one-sided account of a very complex situation, as Coates himself acknowledges that he has, it’s my understanding that as journalists we are obligated to challenge that worldview so that our viewers can have that access to the truth or a fuller account, a more balanced account. And, to me, that is what Tony did.”

Crawford went on: “Tony prevented a one-sided account from being broadcast on our network that was completely devoid of history or facts. As someone who does a lot of interviews, I’m not sure now how to proceed in challenging viewpoints that are obviously one-sided and devoid of fact and history.”
...
Keep in mind that this editorial meeting was held on the one-year anniversary of the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel. The harshest thing that Dokoupil said in his interview with Coates was: “If I took your name out of it, took away the awards, and the acclaim, took the cover off the book, the publishing house goes away—the content of that section would not be out of place in the backpack of an extremist.”
- https://www.thefp.com/p/cbs-marks-octobe...y-dokoupil

[Syne]

Exclusive: Whistleblower alleges misconduct by United Nations in Gaza

An international aid worker operating in Gaza has filed a formal whistleblower complaint to the Inspector General of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), alleging "gross misconduct and misuse of humanitarian funds by the World Food Programme and other U.N. Agencies," according to a copy of the complaint obtained by Fox News Digital.

Details of alleged United Nations interference in the delivery of aid to Gazans have been revealed by the whistleblower who was in Gaza in July.
...
The whistleblower’s complaint claims "A firsthand eyewitnessing of senior Israel Defense Forces (IDF) officials offering any support necessary, including security protection and coordination, to representatives from the World Food Programme (WFP) and the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) only to have WFP and OCHA respond that they were not prepared to discuss such coordination."

According to the whistleblower complaint, this "raises serious questions as to why WFP and OCHA were unprepared to discuss or accept the assistance offered by the IDF, thereby preventing aid from getting to the people of Gaza."
...
The whistleblower said in the complaint that "the IDF is actively helping the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) get food into the hands of civilians while U.N. agencies, including WFP and OCHA, through their unwillingness to coordinate with the IDF, are inhibiting the distribution of such aid."

The whistleblower continued, "As has been recently shown through openly available imagery, the IDF has provided clearance for thousands of tons of U.N. humanitarian goods that are now sitting inside of Gaza, awaiting distribution. The U.N. must be held accountable to pick up and distribute such aid. I urge you to launch an independent investigation into this matter to determine the extent to which U.N. agencies, by refusing to coordinate with the IDF on essential issues, including security, are abusing U.S. taxpayer funds rather than using them to deliver the aid the American people are donating – and whether such actions are being taken independently by U.N. officials in Gaza or at the direction of the U.N. Secretary General or other senior U.N. officials in New York. "

[confused2]

Speaking as 'everyman' I'm not convinced there is UN aid inside Gaza .. given that whistleblower and others aren't reliable sources. This isn't pro or anti anyone .. I'm just not sure what is true.

[Syne]

Antisemitism if you can't give ANY support for your claim that this and unnamed "others" are unreliable. I'm betting you are convinced of what you think Israel is guilt of.

[confused2]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c0k77xm651jt
From 24th July 2025..

Earlier, Israel said 150 trucks carrying aid were collected by the UN and other agencies inside Gaza on Wednesday. They also say another 800 food trucks are waiting to be picked up, but agencies blame the Israeli government for obstructing aid distribution.

There are obvious problems .. if Hamas try to take the food the IDF will try to stop them .. with aid workers caught in the crossfire. This isn't specifically 'antisemitic' .. it's just how it is.

[Syne]

I've repeatedly shown evidence of the UN refusing to work with the GHF, which is protected by Israel. If you can't read it, it's just willful ignorance.

[confused2]

I've repeatedly shown evidence of the UN refusing to work with the GHF, which is protected by Israel. If you can't read it, it's just willful ignorance.

Repeating propaganda isn't the same as providing evidence.

A UN agency says it has 6,000 trucks' worth of aid waiting to enter Gaza as it warns "the hunger crisis in Gaza has never been so dire"

Propaganda or fact?

If the Israelis want the Palestinians to starve and can blame the UN (or Hamas) that's a propaganda victory. If the UN can blame Israel that's a propaganda victory (of sorts) for them. And there's also the message that the Palestinians aren't actually starving. My suspicion is that the Israelis are doing just enough - it is minimalist and brutal and that's exactly how they want it to be.

[Syne]

When you don't bother to look, you'll never see the evidence.

This doesn't pass the sniff test:
UN agency says 6,000 lorries' worth of aid ready to enter Gaza and urges Israel to allow access

"Hunger is everywhere you look," an aid worker in Gaza tells the BBC.

According to the Hamas-run health ministry, 113 people, including 81 children, have died of malnutrition since 7 October 2023.

In the few remaining food markets in Gaza, prices have skyrocketed - UK charity Christian Aid reports that a bag of flour now costs more than £400.

The charity's consultant in the territory says humanitarian aid provides the main source of food, but it is "very dangerous to try and access". The UN has said at least 1,054 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli military while seeking food since 27 May.

The chief of the UN's Palestinian refugee agency (Unrwa), Philippe Lazzarini, says the organisation has 6,000 trucks' worth of aid waiting in Egypt and Jordan to enter Gaza. He calls on Israel to allow "unrestricted and uninterrupted humanitarian assistance to Gaza".

Israel has said that 150 food trucks were collected by the UN and aid organisations in Gaza on Wednesday, it also says more than 800 await collection. Aid organisations blame an Israeli "siege" for the mass starvation in Gaza.

Quotes anonymous aid worker, Hamas-run health ministry (at least they tell you who runs it), an anonymous consultant, and a Palestinian refugee agency.
IOW, every source is either anonymous (read unverifiable) or biased against Israel.

But which is easier to believe without proof? 6,000 trucks or 950 trucks of aid?

There's a reason the term big lie was coined about propaganda.

[confused2]

Hm. Big Lie.

There is no such thing as a Palestinian nation. There is no Palestinian history. There is no Palestinian language,

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/no-su...ister-says
The particular instance quoted dates from March 2023 .. not long before a more memorable event.
Often repeated (including by Syne).

I'm not going to attempt to prove it but I suspect there will be many similarities in the Israeli propaganda used against the Palestinians (who don't exist) and Hitler's propaganda used against the Jews who he had every intention of making sure ceased to exist.