ISTANBUL

Russia on Tuesday called on Israel to urgently prevent further deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Gaza, citing alarming warnings from top UN officials about record levels of famine and child malnutrition in the enclave.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described conditions in Gaza as “hell” and reminded Israel of its obligations as an occupying power to provide food for the population.

UN humanitarian chief Terry Fletcher stressed that hunger is being used as a weapon of war, which could have been avoided if aid had not been blocked.

Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), told reporters in Geneva that Gaza residents are left “without any chance of salvation” and warned the situation is “bordering on genocide.”

He also compared the mass displacement of Palestinians to ethnic cleansing.

By late September, famine is expected to spread to the provinces of Khan Younis and Deir el-Balah, threatening the lives of 132,000 children under the age of five, including 41,000 suffering from severe malnutrition -- a figure that has doubled since May, according to the ministry.

“The alarming assessments of the situation in Gaza made by senior UN officials are shocking,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said, urging Israel to halt fire, restore humanitarian access, and ensure the delivery of food and other aid to those in need.

The ministry added that UN Security Council members are preparing to make another attempt to pass a draft resolution addressing Gaza’s humanitarian crisis, with Moscow expressing hope that the initiative will be adopted.

The Gaza Strip has faced repeated bombardments and an Israeli blockade since October 2023, leaving much of the enclave’s infrastructure in ruins and its population heavily dependent on aid, which international agencies say has been severely restricted.