France is planning to drop emergency aid from the air into Gaza in the next few days, according to a diplomatic source and as reported by The Times of Israel. Experts backed by the United Nations have been warning that Gaza is close to a famine, and major steps and aid are required to overcome it. The source said that France’s goal is to help and meet the urgent needs of the people living there. France also called on Israel to immediately reopen land border crossings for humanitarian access. &nbsp;‘France will carry out airdrops in the coming days to meet the most essential and urgent needs of the civilian population in Gaza,’ the source stated, also demanding ‘the immediate opening by Israel of the land crossing points.’&nbsp;This news comes on the third day after Israel begins its new aid policy, which includes 'humanitarian pauses' in fighting, resumption of airstrikes by Arab nations and Israeli airstrikes as well.&nbsp;&nbsp;Other countries like Spain and the United Kingdom (UK) have also said that they will send aid by air to Gaza.&nbsp;Also Read - 'We will recognise a Palestinian state': After France, UK to recognise Palestinian state; Starmer sets deadline for Israel&nbsp;Earlier on Tuesday (July 29), British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said after a cabinet meeting that the United Kingdom (UK) may support in recognising a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly in September, unless Israel takes immediate steps to ease the crisis in Gaza and commit to peace efforts.&nbsp;According to the Gaza health ministry, at least 60,034 Palestinians have died and 145,870 have been injured in Israeli attacks since 7 October, 2023. In the last 24 hours, 113 people were killed and 637 were injured, despite the so-called ceasefire in parts of Gaza.&nbsp;&nbsp;

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer after a cabinet meeting on Tuesday (July 29) said that the United Kingdom may support in recognizing Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly in September.

France is planning to drop emergency aid from the air into Gaza in the next few days, according to a diplomatic source and as reported by The Times of Israel. Experts backed by the United Nations have been warning that Gaza is close to a famine, and major steps and aid are required to overcome it. The source said that France’s goal is to help and meet the urgent needs of the people living there. France also called on Israel to immediately reopen land border crossings for humanitarian access. ‘France will carry out airdrops in the coming days to meet the most essential and urgent needs of the civilian population in Gaza,’ the source stated, also demanding ‘the immediate opening by Israel of the land crossing points.’ This news comes on the third day after Israel begins its new aid policy, which includes 'humanitarian pauses' in fighting, resumption of airstrikes by Arab nations and Israeli airstrikes as well. Other countries like Spain and the United Kingdom (UK) have also said that they will send aid by air to Gaza. Also Read - 'We will recognise a Palestinian state': After France, UK to recognise Palestinian state; Starmer sets deadline for Israel Earlier on Tuesday (July 29), British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said after a cabinet meeting that the United Kingdom (UK) may support in recognising a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly in September, unless Israel takes immediate steps to ease the crisis in Gaza and commit to peace efforts. According to the Gaza health ministry, at least 60,034 Palestinians have died and 145,870 have been injured in Israeli attacks since 7 October, 2023. In the last 24 hours, 113 people were killed and 637 were injured, despite the so-called ceasefire in parts of Gaza.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer after a cabinet meeting on Tuesday (July 29) said that the United Kingdom may support in recognizing Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly in September.

'Most essential, urgent needs': France to air-drop emergency aid to Gaza - All you need to know

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Brazil: Heavy rains kill 19 in Sao Paulo, governor announces emergency aid

The UN said Tuesday that $35 billion would be needed for aid in 2021, as the pandemic leaves tens of millions more people in crisis, and with the risk of multiple famines looming.

The world body's annual Global Humanitarian Overview estimated that 235 million people worldwide will need some form of emergency assistance next year — a staggering 40-per cent increase in the past year.

"The increase arises almost entirely because of Covid-19," United Nations emergency relief coordinator Mark Lowcock told reporters.

Next year, one in 33 people worldwide will be in need of aid, the report found, stressing that if all of them lived in one country, it would be the world's fifth-largest nation.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/will-do-everything-to-discover-origin-of-covid-19-says-who-346541">'Will do everything' to discover origin of COVID-19, says WHO</a>

The annual appeal by UN agencies and other humanitarian organisations usually presents a depressing picture of soaring needs brought on by conflicts, displacement, natural disasters and climate change.

But now, it warned, the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 1.45 million people worldwide, has disproportionately hit those "already living on a knife's edge."&nbsp;

"The picture we are presenting is the bleakest and darkest perspective on humanitarian need in the period ahead that we have ever set out," Lowcock said.&nbsp;

The money requested in the appeal would be enough to help 160 million of the most vulnerable people across 56 countries, the UN said.

'Alarm bells are ringing'

For the first time since the 1990s, extreme poverty is set to rise, life expectancy will fall and the annual death toll from HIV, tuberculosis and malaria could potentially double.

"Possibly the most alarming thing... is the threat of the return of famines, potentially in multiple locations," Lowcock said.

With only one true famine so far in the 21st century —&nbsp;in Somalia nearly a decade ago — mass starvation had appeared to have been "assigned to the dustbin of history," he said.

But now, he warned, "the red lights are flashing and the alarm bells are ringing."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/un-sudan-needs-150-million-to-cope-with-migration-crisis-346469">Also watch|</a>

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By the end of 2020, the number of acutely food-insecure people worldwide could swell to as much as 270 million -- an 82-per cent increase over the pre-Covid-19 number.&nbsp;

Conditions in Yemen, Burkina Faso, South Sudan and northeastern Nigeria indicated they are already on the brink of famine, while a range of other countries and regions, including Afghanistan and the Sahel, were also "potentially very vulnerable", he said.

"If we get through 2021 without major famines, that will be a significant achievement."

Tuesday's appeal shows that war-ravaged Syria and Yemen top the list of the countries most in need of humanitarian assistance.

The UN is seeking close to $6 billion to help millions of Syrians inside and outside the country wracked by a decade of conflict.

And it is asking for nearly $3.5 billion to help nearly 20 million Yemenis caught up in the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

'Darkest hour'

Other major crises requiring substantial funds include the Democratic Republic of Congo, Afghanistan and Ethiopia.

Raising the full $35 billion needed at a time of global economic crisis could meanwhile be a daunting task -- the amount is more than double the $17 billion raised so far this year.

That amount is already a record but still falls far short of the nearly $29 billion asked for during last year's appeal, even before the pandemic reared its head.

"The crisis is far from over. Humanitarian aid budgets face dire shortfalls as the impact of the global pandemic continues to worsen," UN chief Antonio Guterres said in a statement.

"Together we must mobilise resources and stand in solidarity with people in their darkest hour of need."

Lowcock meanwhile insisted that while the total dollar amount asked for seemed high, it was actually tiny compared to the amounts wealthy countries are pumping in to rescue their tanking economies.

"What is at stake is the lives of huge numbers of vulnerable people, and the cost of safeguarding their lives is actually very small in relation to all of the other challenges we face."

The UN said Tuesday that $35 billion would be needed for aid in 2021, as the pandemic leaves tens of millions more people in crisis, and with the risk of multiple famines looming.

The UN said Tuesday that $35 billion would be needed for aid in 2021, as the pandemic leaves tens of millions more people in crisis, and with the risk of multiple famines looming. The world body's annual Global Humanitarian Overview estimated that 235 million people worldwide will need some form of emergency assistance next year — a staggering 40-per cent increase in the past year. "The increase arises almost entirely because of Covid-19," United Nations emergency relief coordinator Mark Lowcock told reporters. Next year, one in 33 people worldwide will be in need of aid, the report found, stressing that if all of them lived in one country, it would be the world's fifth-largest nation. Also read| 'Will do everything' to discover origin of COVID-19, says WHO The annual appeal by UN agencies and other humanitarian organisations usually presents a depressing picture of soaring needs brought on by conflicts, displacement, natural disasters and climate change. But now, it warned, the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 1.45 million people worldwide, has disproportionately hit those "already living on a knife's edge." "The picture we are presenting is the bleakest and darkest perspective on humanitarian need in the period ahead that we have ever set out," Lowcock said. The money requested in the appeal would be enough to help 160 million of the most vulnerable people across 56 countries, the UN said. 'Alarm bells are ringing' For the first time since the 1990s, extreme poverty is set to rise, life expectancy will fall and the annual death toll from HIV, tuberculosis and malaria could potentially double. "Possibly the most alarming thing... is the threat of the return of famines, potentially in multiple locations," Lowcock said. With only one true famine so far in the 21st century — in Somalia nearly a decade ago — mass starvation had appeared to have been "assigned to the dustbin of history," he said. But now, he warned, "the red lights are flashing and the alarm bells are ringing." Also watch| × By the end of 2020, the number of acutely food-insecure people worldwide could swell to as much as 270 million -- an 82-per cent increase over the pre-Covid-19 number. Conditions in Yemen, Burkina Faso, South Sudan and northeastern Nigeria indicated they are already on the brink of famine, while a range of other countries and regions, including Afghanistan and the Sahel, were also "potentially very vulnerable", he said. "If we get through 2021 without major famines, that will be a significant achievement." Tuesday's appeal shows that war-ravaged Syria and Yemen top the list of the countries most in need of humanitarian assistance. The UN is seeking close to $6 billion to help millions of Syrians inside and outside the country wracked by a decade of conflict. And it is asking for nearly $3.5 billion to help nearly 20 million Yemenis caught up in the world's worst humanitarian crisis. 'Darkest hour' Other major crises requiring substantial funds include the Democratic Republic of Congo, Afghanistan and Ethiopia. Raising the full $35 billion needed at a time of global economic crisis could meanwhile be a daunting task -- the amount is more than double the $17 billion raised so far this year. That amount is already a record but still falls far short of the nearly $29 billion asked for during last year's appeal, even before the pandemic reared its head. "The crisis is far from over. Humanitarian aid budgets face dire shortfalls as the impact of the global pandemic continues to worsen," UN chief Antonio Guterres said in a statement. "Together we must mobilise resources and stand in solidarity with people in their darkest hour of need." Lowcock meanwhile insisted that while the total dollar amount asked for seemed high, it was actually tiny compared to the amounts wealthy countries are pumping in to rescue their tanking economies. "What is at stake is the lives of huge numbers of vulnerable people, and the cost of safeguarding their lives is actually very small in relation to all of the other challenges we face."

UN sees emergency aid needs exploding due to pandemic

Trump threatened to cut U.S. funding to California for aid during wildfires that have burned across the state during dry winds this fall.

California Wildfires: Trump threatens to pull emergency aid

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