Famine declared in Gaza, UN-backed body says over 500,000 in its grip; Israel rejects report

The United Nations on Friday declared a famine in Gaza, with experts saying that 500,000 people are being affected by it.

UN aid chief Tom Fletcher said that the catastrophe, a first in West Asia, was entirely preventable and was caused by food being blocked from entering Palestine “because of systematic obstruction by Israel”.

“After 22 months of relentless conflict, over half a million people in the Gaza Strip are facing catastrophic conditions characterised by starvation, destitution and death,” the report said.

The famine is expected to spread to Deir el-Balah and Khan Yunis governorates by the end of September, covering at least two-thirds of the Palestinian population. This number, based on information gathered between July 1 and August 15, is expected to increase to nearly 641,000 people.

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What caused the famine?

The report, published by the Rome-based IPC panel, said that the catastrophe was driven by a sharp escalation in the war between Israel and Hamas, and the resulting massive displacement of people, combined with the severe restriction of access to humanitarian and commercial supplies of food.

The IPC said “as of 15 August 2025, famine (IPC Phase 5) is confirmed in Gaza Governorate”, Gaza City, which covers about 20 per cent of the Gaza Strip.

Earlier this year, in March, Israel completely shut off Gaza from food supplies, forcing many people to go on an empty stomach. By May, the government allowed very limited quantities to enter the region, leading to an acute shortage in supplies.

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Speaking in Geneva, the UN’s Fletcher said the famine should “haunt us all”.

“It is a famine that we could have prevented if we had been allowed. Yet food stacks up at borders because of systematic obstruction by Israel,” he told reporters.

The IPC noted the local food system has also collapsed, with an estimated 98 per cent of cropland in the Gaza Strip either damaged, inaccessible or both, livestock decimated and fishing banned.

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification Initiative (IPC) is a coalition of monitors tasked by the UN to warn of impending crises.

Israel rejects report

Israel has rejected the report, saying that its finding is based on “Hamas lies”. The country’s foreign ministry said, “There is no famine in Gaza,” adding that the panel’s findings were “based on Hamas lies laundered through organisations with vested interests”.

“In recent weeks, a massive influx of aid has flooded the Strip with staple foods and caused a sharp decline in food price,” the ministry said.

“This assessment too will be thrown into the despicable trash bin of political documents,” it added.

The Israeli defence ministry body which oversees civil affairs in the Palestinian territories, known as COGAT, also lambasted the report.

“COGAT firmly rejects the claim of famine in the Gaza Strip, and particularly in Gaza City. Previous reports and assessments by the IPC have repeatedly been proven inaccurate and do not reflect the reality on the ground,” it said.

With inputs from agencies