RAMALLAH: More than half the population of Gaza is on the brink of famine, including children and the elderly, the World Bank Group said on Tuesday The international organization called for urgent action to save lives. "We join the international community in calling for immediate, free, and unimpeded access of medical supplies, food and life-essential services through all available means at speed and scale to the people of Gaza,' it said in a statement. The World Bank Group's board of directors in December approved the commitment of $35 million in funds to development partners which are active in Gaza, including the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Program (WFP) and the World Health Organization (WHO). This funds include a $10 million package to the WFP to purchase food parcels and vouchers to reach an estimated 377,000 people. Source: Palestine News and Information Agency – WAFA Naledi Pandor, South African Foreign Minister accused Israel of setting a precedent in defying decisions of the top UN court as she again alleged a campaign of "mass starvation" in Gaza. South Africa is suing Israel before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) accusing it of committing genocide in the war on Gaza. Pretoria's move angered Israel and called for condemnation from the US. The South African Foreign Minister said that Israel defied a January interim ruling by the ICJ, ordering it to do everything in its power to prevent genocide acts as it fights against Hamas in Gaza. In early March, Pretoria asked the ICJ to impose "provisional measures" to put an end to the mass "famine" occurring as a result of Israeli military attack in Gaza. "The provisional measures have been entirely ignored by Israel," Pandor said at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace during a visit to Washington. "Were seeing mass starvation now and famine before our very eyes. I think we, as humanity, need to look at ourselves in horror and dismay and to be really worried that we have set an example," she added. She explained that Israel's actions may mean other nations will believe "there is license I can do what I want and I will not be stopped." South Africa has again petitioned the court in The Hague to order measures for Israel to stop "widespread starvation" in light of its attack in Gaza. A UN-backed food security assessment determined that Gaza is facing imminent famine, with around 1.1 million people - about half the population - experiencing "catastrophic" hunger as a result of not allowing aid to enter the Strip. Source: Oman News Agency