Hunger Must Never Be Weapon Of War – UN Chief Warns

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has condemned the use of hunger as a weapon in global conflicts, urging world leaders to ensure food never becomes a tool of war.

Speaking via video at a UN forum in Ethiopia on Monday, Guterres said conflicts from Gaza to Sudan are worsening food insecurity, while climate change is crippling harvests and humanitarian aid.

“We must never accept hunger as a weapon of war,” he declared, as aid agencies warn of life-threatening malnutrition in Gaza amid limited access to supplies.

Israel, under fire for its blockade, denies deliberately starving civilians and blames aid groups for not distributing relief.

Meanwhile, Sudan continues to suffer what the UN calls the world’s worst and most overlooked humanitarian crisis, with over 7 million displaced and tens of thousands dead since civil war erupted in 2023.

The World Health Organization recently described Gaza’s hunger crisis as reaching “alarming levels,” despite a temporary “tactical pause” in hostilities to allow some aid in.