Famine Declared in Gaza City: Over Half a Million Face Starvation
A devastating report from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) has confirmed that Gaza City and its surrounding areas have officially plunged into famine, with the number of people facing extreme food shortages expected to rise to 641,000 by the end of September.
This alarming development has sparked widespread concern, with the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres describing the situation as a "man-made disaster, a moral indictment, and a failure of humanity itself".
The IPC report reveals that nearly a quarter of Palestinians in Gaza, approximately 514,000 people, are experiencing famine, with 280,000 of them in the northern region facing extreme food shortages. The situation is particularly dire, with one in three children acutely malnourished and two people out of every 10,000 dying daily from starvation or malnutrition and disease.
The international community has condemned Israel's handling of the crisis, with Britain's Foreign Secretary David Lammy stating that the Israeli government's refusal to allow sufficient aid into Gaza has caused this "man-made catastrophe". The British government has warned that it will recognize a Palestinian state unless Israel takes immediate action to alleviate the suffering in Gaza and reaches a ceasefire in the nearly two-year war with Hamas.
Key Statistics
- People facing famine: 514,000 (expected to rise to 641,000 by end of September)
- Children acutely malnourished: One in three
- Daily deaths from starvation or malnutrition: Two people out of every 10,000
- Aid trucks entering Gaza: Only 50% of requested aid is being delivered due to Israeli restrictions
The IPC's declaration of famine in Gaza City marks the first time the organization has recorded famine outside of Africa. The United Nations humanitarian chief, Tom Fletcher, has emphasized that this famine could have been prevented if aid had been allowed into the territory. The situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, with widespread starvation, malnutrition, and disease driving a rise in hunger-related deaths.
