In brief
Rida Hijjeh reveals her daughter Lamia's tragic weight loss of 8.5kg amid the dire famine conditions confirmed in Gaza City by the IPC. As the region faces alarming food insecurity, the situation is labeled critical, with leaders denying the occurrence of starvation. Rida's heartfelt account sheds light on the human cost of the ongoing conflict.
A mother has told the BBC her five-year-old daughter, Lamia, has lost almost half of her body weight due to the famine in Gaza City. Lamia Hijjeh, whose family has been displaced several times during the war, has lost 8.5kg and cannot walk, according to her mother, Rida.On Friday, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) raised its classification to Phase 5, the highest and worst level of its acute food insecurity scale. It states that famine is confirmed in the Gaza Governorate, which includes Gaza City and its surrounding area, with catastrophic conditions projected to expand to Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis by the end of September.In response to the recent IPC report, Israeli officials have denied any starvation is occurring in Gaza, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has referred to the report as an outright lie. Rida’s testimony highlights the devastating impact the ongoing crisis is having on families in Gaza, leaving them with little hope for change.
