Biden Administration Faces Backlash for Retracting Northern Gaza Famine Report

Human rights veteran Kenneth Roth criticized the retraction of a report predicting imminent famine in northern Gaza, stating that it undermines the very purpose of the office that created the report, which is to provide expert assessments on famine without being influenced by political agendas.

The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET), which published the report on December 23, retracted its warning about the escalating hunger crisis in Gaza following public disapproval by U.S. ambassador to Israel, Jack Lew. FEWS NET is supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

In its initial alert, FEWS NET stated that due to Israel’s extensive blockade, which almost completely restricts humanitarian and commercial food supplies for around 80 days, it was “highly likely” that thresholds for food consumption and acute malnutrition indicating famine conditions had been exceeded in the North Gaza Governorate.

The analysis was based on the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, a system endorsed by the United Nations that classifies a famine as “phase 5.” A region is declared in famine when more than 30% of children under five are severely malnourished, more than two individuals per 10,000 die daily from starvation, or when 20% of households experience a severe food shortage.

A note on the FEWS NET website from Thursday mentioned that the “December 23 Alert is under additional review and is anticipated to be reissued with revised data and analysis in January.”

FEWS NET is not the first to signal a potential famine in northern Gaza, where Israeli military operations have been ongoing since early October and humanitarian aid has been virtually cut off, affecting thousands of Palestinians trapped in the area.

Cindy McCain, the executive director of the World Food Program, described the situation as a “full-blown famine” back in May, and independent UN experts echoed this assessment in July.

However, the FEWS NET report faced criticism from Ambassador Lew, who argued that the report used “outdated and inaccurate” data regarding the population currently in northern Gaza.

The report estimated the population in the area to be between 65,000 and 75,000, while Lew cited figures from Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), which placed the population at between 5,000 and 9,000, and the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), which estimated 10,000 to 15,000 people.

Lew condemned the report’s issuance amidst the confusion and accusations fueled by misinformation, labeling it as “irresponsible.”

The Council on American-Islamic Relations criticized Lew for seemingly dismissing the report and implying that northern Gaza has been effectively ethnically cleansed of its native inhabitants.

Roth, the former executive director of Human Rights Watch, commented that Lew’s focus on population figures is a politicized distraction from the real issue that the Israeli government is blocking nearly all food supplies from entering the area.

“The Biden administration seems to be ignoring this reality, but ignoring it won’t help feed anyone,” he expressed to the Associated Press.

Since the onset of Israel’s bombardment of Gaza in October 2023, the Biden White House has staunchly supported Israel, claiming that it is merely defending itself after a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel. This stance persists despite a death toll surpassing 45,000 and numerous reports indicating that Israel’s attacks have knowingly killed hundreds of civilians.

In October, the administration gave Israel a month to ensure adequate humanitarian aid reached Palestinians and threatened to cease military support if this was not achieved. However, when the deadline expired, no changes were made to U.S. political or military backing.

By law, the U.S. is prohibited from supplying weapons to countries that block U.S. humanitarian aid, under Section 620I of the Foreign Assistance Act.

Roth implied that by pushing for the retraction of the FEWS NET report, USAID might be complicit in supporting Israel’s alleged strategy of starving Palestinians.

“It appears that USAID is letting political concerns—the Biden administration’s apprehension about funding Israel’s starvation tactics—influence its actions,” Roth told the AP.

Scott Paul, a senior manager at Oxfam America, also told the media outlet that Lew used his political influence to undermine the integrity of the expert agency’s work.