TheGuardian

Israel reportedly blocking UN food aid to northern Gaza despite high famine risk

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Israel Halts UN Food Aid to Northern Gaza Amid Famine Concerns

Israel has definitively stopped the United Nations’ Unrwa agency from delivering food aid to northern Gaza, raising alarms over increasing famine risks. Philippe Lazzarini, Unrwa’s head, labeled the blockade as an intentional move to obstruct vital assistance amidst a man-made famine. For detailed insights, learn more about the situation.

Quick Facts

  • UNRWA Food Convoys Halted: Following two written denials, Israel’s military authorities formally notified the UN of their decision to cease approval of Unrwa food aid convoys to northern Gaza, exacerbating the famine threat in the area.
  • Dire Humanitarian Conditions: Gaza’s humanitarian situation worsens as a result of Israel’s ongoing military campaign against Hamas, initiated after a deadly attack on southern Israel on October 7, leading to widespread destruction and loss of life.
  • International Reactions: The international community, including UN officials and the World Health Organization’s head, has criticized Israel’s blockade of Unrwa aid, stressing the critical role of Unrwa in Gaza’s humanitarian response and calling for the blockade’s revocation to prevent a famine.

Israel’s definitive halt of Unrwa food aid to northern Gaza, as announced by the agency, marks a significant escalation in the region’s humanitarian crisis. The decision, communicated by Israeli military authorities to the UN, follows recent written rejections of convoy deliveries to the area, exacerbating the already dire conditions. Northern Gaza, already on the brink of famine as indicated by a recent UN-backed food security assessment, has not received Unrwa food aid since January 29. This move has been met with international outcry, emphasizing the blockade’s exacerbation of Gaza’s humanitarian plight.

The backdrop to this crisis is a nearly six-month-long war between Israel and Hamas, which was triggered by a Hamas attack on southern Israel. This conflict has resulted in significant civilian casualties and has plunged Gaza into its worst-ever humanitarian crisis. The blocking of aid deliveries by Israel, which accuses Unrwa staff of complicity in Hamas’s activities, further complicates efforts to provide necessary relief to the territory’s 2.4 million residents. UN officials, including the head of the World Health Organization, have condemned the blockade, highlighting the vital need for Unrwa’s assistance in preventing famine in Gaza.

As international voices call for an end to Gaza’s “non-stop nightmare,” the decision to halt Unrwa’s food aid convoys by Israel is seen as a critical impediment to famine relief efforts. High-level UN representatives, including the secretary general, have urged for the blockade’s revocation, stressing the urgent need for humanitarian access and aid delivery to alleviate the suffering of Gaza’s population. The situation remains tense as diplomatic efforts continue to address the humanitarian and political complexities of the Gaza conflict.

Over 1,000 Birds Perish After Striking a Singular Chicago Building

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Around 1,000 birds tragically lost their lives after striking McCormick Place in Chicago, a structure largely composed of glass, posing significant challenges for migrating avian populations.

Quick Facts

  • McCormick Place: The largest convention center in North America, this building’s glass exterior is a significant hazard for birds, leading to many fatalities.
  • Chicago’s Dilemma: The city’s pronounced light pollution significantly endangers migrating birds. Deactivating lights in buildings can notably diminish these incidents.
  • Existing Solutions: Beyond new construction, many current buildings pose threats to birds. However, through retrofit investments, tax incentives, and bird-friendly windows, these challenges can be economically addressed.

On Thursday, 5th October, the tragedy unfolded as around 1,000 birds collided with McCormick Place during their southern migration towards winter territories. This massive structure, primarily made of glass, presents an alarming risk to avian species, with volunteers still discovering bird remains up to 1.5 miles from the site. Annette Prince, director of Chicago Bird Collision Monitors, conveyed the gravity of this incident, noting it as the highest recorded bird collisions for a single structure in one day.

Such catastrophic events aren’t random or isolated. Birds often face such perils, especially during peak migration in spring and autumn. Adverse weather conditions—such as opposing winds, rain, and fog—can disorient them. Additionally, the urban light pollution, particularly prominent in Chicago, attracts and traps them among perilous man-made structures. The implications are broader than the immediate tragedy. Birds play a pivotal role in ecosystems, from dispersing seeds post-wildfires, assisting in forest regeneration, to controlling insect populations exacerbated by global temperature rises.

Chicago, unfortunately, stands at the crossroads of this crisis due to its light pollution, which poses severe risks to migrating birds. A study conducted in 2021 at McCormick Place discovered that simply turning off half of a building’s lights can decrease bird collisions six to elevenfold. While the center is part of the Lights Out Chicago initiative, which recommends buildings switch off or dim their lights, ongoing events at Lakeside Center, a McCormick Place section, necessitated lights remaining on. Addressing these challenges demands more than isolated efforts. Chicago has taken steps forward, approving a bird-friendly design ordinance and the Bird Safe Buildings Act, targeting state-owned constructions. Yet, as Brendon Samuels noted, the real challenge lies in retrofitting existing structures to be more bird-friendly, underscoring the urgent need for policy implementation.

For Further ReadingLight Pollution: Light pollution refers to the excessive, misdirected, or obtrusive artificial light produced by human activities. It not only has adverse effects on human health and astronomical research but poses significant threats to wildlife, especially birds. By confusing migratory patterns, it can lead birds astray, causing exhaustion, disorientation, and collisions. Addressing light pollution through smarter lighting solutions can help protect biodiversity. [Wikipedia]

Q&A

Why are birds colliding with buildings?

Buildings, especially those with extensive glass facades, can reflect the sky or vegetation, misleading birds and causing them to fly directly into them. Nighttime lighting in buildings can also disorient birds, especially during their migration periods.How can such collisions be reduced?

By turning off unnecessary lights in buildings, especially during peak migration seasons, and retrofitting windows to be more bird-friendly, such collisions can be substantially reduced.What role does light pollution play in this crisis?

Light pollution, caused by excessive or misdirected artificial light, can confuse and attract birds, especially during their nocturnal migrations, leading them into urban areas where they are more likely to collide with buildings.

Original Article Source: The Guardian