An urgent warning has been issued by a leading international authority on food crises, stating that the “worst-case scenario of famine is currently playing out in the Gaza Strip.” The alert, released on Tuesday, highlights the risk of “widespread death” without immediate intervention.
Though the alert stops short of a formal famine declaration, it comes in response to distressing images of malnourished children in Gaza and reports of numerous hunger-related deaths after nearly 22 months of ongoing conflict.
Following international pressure, Israel announced over the weekend several measures, including daily humanitarian pauses in certain areas of Gaza and airdrops. Despite these announcements, both the United Nations and local Palestinians report little tangible change, with desperate crowds still intercepting aid deliveries before they can reach intended destinations.
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) noted that Gaza has been on the cusp of famine for two years. However, recent developments have “dramatically worsened” conditions, notably due to “increasingly stringent blockades” by Israel.
A formal famine declaration remains rare, hindered by the lack of sufficient data due to restricted access and mobility within Gaza. Historically, the IPC has declared famines only a handful of times, such as in Somalia in 2011, South Sudan in 2017 and 2020, and parts of Sudan’s Darfur region last year.
Independent experts, however, assert a formal declaration is unnecessary to recognize the dire situation in Gaza. “Like a family doctor diagnosing a familiar patient, we can interpret Gaza's symptoms as indicating famine,” said Alex de Waal, author of “Mass Starvation: The History and Future of Famine” and executive director of the World Peace Foundation, in a conversation with The Associated Press.
What constitutes a famine? An area is designated as experiencing famine when three conditions are met: At least 20% of households suffer from an extreme lack of food or are essentially starving, at least 30% of children aged six months to 5 years experience acute malnutrition or wasting (being too thin for their height), and at least two people or four children under 5 per 10,000 die daily due to starvation or the combined effects of malnutrition and disease.
The report, based on data available through July 25, states that the crisis has reached “an alarming and deadly turning point.” It indicates that famine thresholds have been exceeded in terms of food consumption throughout most of Gaza and of acute malnutrition in Gaza City, where nearly 17% of children under 5 are severely malnourished.
Emerging evidence suggests “widespread starvation.” Basic health and other crucial services have collapsed, with one-third of Gaza's population experiencing days without food, according to the World Food Program. Hospitals report a sharp rise in hunger-related child mortality. The over 2 million residents of Gaza are confined to increasingly smaller sections of the ravaged region.
An IPC analysis conducted in May warned of potential famine unless Israel lifted its blockade and halted its military operations. The organization's new alert calls for immediate, large-scale intervention, warning: “Failure to act now will result in widespread death in much of the strip.”
Aid restrictions vary during the conflict, with Israel enforcing different measures. In March, all goods, including fuel, food, and medicine, were barred to pressure Hamas for the release of hostages.
Israel eased these restrictions in May but proceeded with a US-backed aid system plagued by chaos and violence. Traditional UN-led aid efforts face obstructions due to Israeli military restrictions and instances of looting, with hungry crowds swarming incoming convoys.
While Israel claims there’s no cap on aid truck entry into Gaza, UN agencies and aid groups argue that existing measures fall short of addressing the escalating hunger crisis. On Monday, Doctors Without Borders deemed the new airdrops ineffective and hazardous, noting they deliver less aid than trucks.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted no one is starving in Gaza and asserted that adequate aid has been provided throughout the conflict, “otherwise, there would be no Gazans.” On the other hand, Israel's military dismissed reports of “deliberate starvation in Gaza” as inaccurate. Nevertheless, Israel's closest ally seems to differ. “Those children look very hungry,” commented President Donald Trump regarding recent images from Gaza. (AP)
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