The World Bank Group has said that more than half the Palestinian population of Gaza is on the brink of famine, including children and the elderly, TRT World reports.

The international organization called for urgent action to save lives.

“We join the international community in calling for immediate, free and unimpeded access to 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).

These funds include a $10 million package to the WFP to purchase food parcels and vouchers to reach an estimated 377,000 people.