Anglican Archbishop of Jerusalem Compares Israeli Food Distribution to ‘Hunger Games’

July 17—The Archbishop of Jerusalem of the Church of England July 15 compared the “horrifying” food distribution system in Gaza under the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), where starving people risk their lives and often die or are wounded trying to get limited food supplies, to the infamous dystopic (and sadistic) movie series “The Hunger Games.” Archbishop Hosam Naoum addressed the Church of England’s General Synod and described the conditions in Gaza as dire, saying: “Medical supplies are in short supply; food distribution system is horrifying, with three sites open one hour a day for 2 million people—it looks for me like 'Hunger Games.'

The Anglican bishop is the chief pastor for 28 parishes across Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. He called on Israel to urgently adhere to the Geneva Convention “as its [Israel’s] current practices are unacceptable.” There should be “no bombing of hospitals, [rather,] lifting of siege, restoration of humanitarian supplies including food and medicine under UN supervision, no targeting of civilians, especially emergency workers and medical staff.”

He gave specific instructions for actions: “Release of all hostages and captives. Permanent ceasefire needed… rebuilding of Gaza. No ethnic cleansing that is presently being discussed by Israeli and U.S. governments. Until all of this is achieved and established, every other part of our lives and our ministries is covered in a shroud of death.”