Famine now unfolding in Gaza, according to UN-backed authority
‘Worst-case scenario of famine’ playing out in Gaza
- The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) has warned of "widespread death" in the Gaza Strip, stating that a "worst-case scenario of famine is currently playing out" due to a lack of immediate action.
- The crisis has dramatically worsened, with reports of hunger-related deaths and severe acute malnutrition, particularly among children under five, exacerbated by “increasingly stringent blockades” by Israel.
- Although not a formal famine declaration, independent experts confirm that visible symptoms indicate famine conditions are present, with data showing famine thresholds reached for food consumption and acute malnutrition in Gaza City.
- Despite Israel's announced humanitarian measures, the United Nations and Palestinians report minimal change, with aid deliveries still hampered by Israeli military restrictions and incidents of looting.
- The IPC's alert stresses the urgent need for large-scale intervention, cautioning that failure to act now will result in extensive fatalities across much of the territory.