Official famine in Gaza, Global Hunger Monitor finds..
UNITED NATIONS, Aug 22 (Reuters) – Gaza City and surrounding areas are officially suffering from famine, and it will likely spread, the Global Hunger Monitor determined on Friday, an assessment that will increase pressure on Israel to allow more aid into the Palestinian enclave.
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification System said 514,000 people – about a quarter of Palestinians in Gaza – are experiencing famine, which will rise to 641,000 by the end of September.
Report on the emergency situation in Gaza
famine in Gaza : According to a recent report, about 280,000 people in Gaza are in the northern area, known as the Gaza Governorate. The IPC has declared the area an emergency. The announcement comes after nearly two years of fighting between the Israelis and Palestinian militants Hamas.
This is the first time the IPC has been declared an emergency in a region outside of Africa. The global group also estimates that the emergency situation could spread to the central and southern areas, such as Deir al-Balah and Khan Yunis, by the end of the coming months.
The report also states that the situation in the occupied territories could be worse than in Gaza City, but it does not provide a breakdown due to the lack of data.
This report is false and biased against Israel. Israel says that the IPC has used incomplete data for you, which is more than what we have provided and you cannot focus on the amount of food in this reach right now.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a statement that there is no famine in Gaza.
To be classified as a famine, at least 20% of the population in a region must suffer from severe food shortages, with one in three children severely malnourished and two in every 10,000 people dying each day from starvation or malnutrition and disease.
Previously, the IPC has only registered famine in Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan.
Even if a region has not yet been classified as a famine because those thresholds have not been met, the IPC can still determine that families there are suffering from famine conditions, which it describes as starvation, deprivation and death.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement that the Gaza famine was a “man-made disaster, a moral outrage and a failure of humanity.”
He called for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages still held by Hamas, and unfettered humanitarian access.
“People are starving. Children are dying. And those who have a duty to act are failing… We cannot allow this situation to continue with impunity.”
UN human rights chief Volker Turk said the famine in Gaza was a direct result of the Israeli government’s actions and warned that deaths from starvation could amount to a war crime.
The IPC analysis comes after Britain, Canada, Australia and several European states said the humanitarian crisis had reached “unimaginable levels”.
US President Donald Trump said last month that many people were starving there, putting him at odds with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has repeatedly said there is no famine and blamed Hamas for causing the food shortage.
What is the famine in Gaza?
The famine in Gaza is a catastrophic humanitarian crisis where a significant portion of the population, particularly in Gaza City, is experiencing extreme food deprivation, severe acute malnutrition, and an increase in deaths from starvation and disease. This is the first time a famine has been officially confirmed in the Middle East.
Who declared the famine in Gaza?
The famine in Gaza has been officially confirmed by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), a UN-backed initiative that includes 21 aid groups, United Nations agencies, and regional organizations. The IPC is the global standard for classifying food insecurity.
What are the criteria for declaring a famine?
The IPC confirms a famine when three specific thresholds are met:
At least 20% of households face an extreme lack of food.
More than 30% of children under five years old suffer from acute malnutrition.
The death rate exceeds 2 people, or 4 children under five, per 10,000 people per day due to starvation or the combination of malnutrition and disease.
The IPC has determined that these conditions have been met in Gaza.
How many people are affected by the famine?
According to the IPC’s report, more than half a million people—nearly a quarter of Palestinians in Gaza—are experiencing famine. The situation is expected to worsen, with projections indicating that the number of people facing catastrophic hunger could rise significantly in the coming weeks.
