Statement on the UN Declaration of Famine in Gaza
2 September, 2025The United Nations has now confirmed the unthinkable: famine has been declared in Gaza City and the Gaza Governorate. This is not a number in a report, it is a stain on humanity. Declaring famine means that children are dying in their mothers’ arms, that parents are watching their families starve, and that an entire population is being deliberately pushed beyond the limits of human survival.
The ACT Palestine Forum (APF), which Diakonia is a part of, declares with urgency: this famine must be stopped. The international community cannot remain silent while the people in Gaza are starving.
Accordingly, the ACT Palestine Forum urgently calls on:
- Governments to move beyond words and take decisive measures, including sanctions on Israel, to end the siege and allow full humanitarian access.
- Churches and faith-based organizations to raise a prophetic outcry, reminding the world that silence in the face of starvation is complicity. They must put pressure on their governments to act with courage and place human life above political interests.
- The global community to demand accountability for those who deliberately starve civilians and uphold the fundamental principle that no political agenda can justify the destruction of a people.
Diakonia in Palestine
The Israeli occupation of Palestine continues to have a devastating impact on Palestinian communities.
Our vision is a resilient Palestinian civil society that champions democracy, human rights, and gender justice, focusing on increasing youth and women’s political and economic participation.
Diakonia, in partnership with local organizations, delivers vital humanitarian aid in Palestine, including winter clothes, hygiene kits, school supplies, and primary healthcare through mobile clinics. We address learning loss, promote youth empowerment, and support sustainable agriculture projects to improve food security.