CNN Special Highlights Live Aid and Current Famine in Gaza

Las Cruces, NM – CNN is airing a special series on Live Aid, the historic concert held in 1985 to combat starvation in Ethiopia. Featured in the series are touching interviews with a healthy young woman and her proud father, who remember the desperate situation they faced during the famine. The woman was a starving baby when news crews first filmed her plight, while her father sought help for her survival.

The series, which is not yet completed, draws parallels between the circumstances of the Ethiopian famine and the current famine conditions in Gaza. Images of malnourished children evoke stark memories of 1985, illustrating that starvation affects infants no matter the geographic location.

The Ethiopian famine stemmed from both natural and man-made causes, primarily severe drought and the oppressive actions of the Derg rulers. Conversely, the situation in Gaza is reported to be solely man-made. Following a Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, Israeli leaders took steps to restrict food, water, and power supplies to Gaza’s civilian population.

According to the United Nations food security experts, as of May, one in five residents in Gaza were facing starvation. Recent reports state that six individuals succumbed to starvation in just one day. Doctors Without Borders estimates that 25% of women and children aged six months to five years in Gaza are malnourished.

While Israeli leaders take responsibility for the tragic conditions, global leaders, including those in the United States, are criticized for complicity, as they provide the military support that reinforces Israel’s regional power. Additionally, there are claims that attempts to hold Israel accountable for alleged war crimes have been consistently dismissed.

Last week, the Israeli government announced it had commenced air drops of food, delivering a mere seven pallets of supplies, according to the Washington Post. They also pledged to restore electricity to Gaza’s sole water desalination plant, the first time in nearly two years, and to assist in food distribution efforts.

In a statement about their actions, the Israeli military said these measures were intended to enhance humanitarian efforts in Gaza and counterclaims of willful starvation. Critics argue that true humanitarian efforts could have been implemented earlier to prevent the crisis.

Walter Rubel, a guest columnist and former managing editor of the Las Cruces Sun-News, emphasizes that while the history of the Middle East is complex, the need to feed starving children should be simple and urgent.