U.S. aid official says famine has begun in northern Gaza
Samantha Power, the director of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), told lawmakers Wednesday that people in parts of northern Gaza have begun facing famine.
Why it matters: Power is the first U.S. official to publicly say that famine has started in parts of the enclave, which had been on the verge of famine for months because of humanitarian aid disruptions from the Israel-Hamas.
- Famine conditions are present despite the U.S. and other western nations conducting airdrops of humanitarian aid for civilians in Gaza.
- In addition to food, people in Gaza also lack access to clean water, medicine, medical care and other essentials due to damage from Israeli airstrikes and Israel's blockade of the enclave.
Context: Power's assessment came during an exchange with Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) while at a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing Wednesday.
