The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), the world’s leading authority on food crises, confirmed Friday that famine is occurring in Gaza City, marking the first official declaration of famine in the Middle East.
The report warned that without a ceasefire and unrestricted aid delivery, the crisis could spread south to Deir Al-Balah and Khan Younis by the end of next month.
More than half a million people in Gaza — about a quarter of the population — are facing catastrophic hunger, with many at risk of dying from malnutrition, according to the IPC. The group said starvation has been driven by Israel’s military offensive, restrictions on aid, and the collapse of food production after nearly two years of war.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the findings “a man-made disaster” and renewed calls for an immediate ceasefire.
Israel rejected the report. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed it as “an outright lie,” while the Israeli military agency COGAT insisted aid flows have increased. Israel’s Foreign Ministry said over 100,000 aid trucks have entered Gaza since October 2023, though humanitarian groups maintain the supply is far below the level required.
Images of emaciated children and reports of hunger-related deaths have intensified global pressure. Aid agencies say that recent Israeli offensives in Gaza City, where hundreds of thousands remain trapped, will only deepen the crisis.
The IPC warned that by the end of September, a third of Gaza’s population could be facing famine conditions, with children the most at risk.
The report warned that without a ceasefire and unrestricted aid delivery, the crisis could spread south to Deir Al-Balah and Khan Younis by the end of next month.
More than half a million people in Gaza — about a quarter of the population — are facing catastrophic hunger, with many at risk of dying from malnutrition, according to the IPC. The group said starvation has been driven by Israel’s military offensive, restrictions on aid, and the collapse of food production after nearly two years of war.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the findings “a man-made disaster” and renewed calls for an immediate ceasefire.
Israel rejected the report. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed it as “an outright lie,” while the Israeli military agency COGAT insisted aid flows have increased. Israel’s Foreign Ministry said over 100,000 aid trucks have entered Gaza since October 2023, though humanitarian groups maintain the supply is far below the level required.
Images of emaciated children and reports of hunger-related deaths have intensified global pressure. Aid agencies say that recent Israeli offensives in Gaza City, where hundreds of thousands remain trapped, will only deepen the crisis.
The IPC warned that by the end of September, a third of Gaza’s population could be facing famine conditions, with children the most at risk.
