UN-backed group expected to formally declare famine in Gaza

The United Nations (UN)-backed group that monitors food insecurity and hunger will formally decare a famine in the Gaza Strip on Friday, according to a report.

For several months, Gaza has been in the grips of a severe hunger crisis as a result of Israel’s policy of restricting the flow of humanitarian assistance. The crisis has been worsened by the botched system of food distribution and attacks on Palestinians awaiting food supplies.

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), which has been recognised globally for classifying the severity of food insecurity and hunger crises, will on Friday declare famine for Gaza governorate that comprises Gaza City, three surrounding towns, and several refugee camps, according to The Telegraph.

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This will only be the fifth time that the IPC will ever declare a famine — the last was declared last year in Sudan. The previous declarations were in Somalia (2011), South Sudan (2017), South Sudan (2020, and Sudan (2024). A mixture of civil war, terrorist violence, and natural disasters contributed to these famines.

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The IPC has a laid down strict criteria for the declaration of a famine: at least 20 per cent of households face an extreme lack of food, at least 30 per cent of children suffer from malnutrition, and at least two people per every 10,000 die per day from ‘outright starvation’.

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Gaza famine expected to spread

The famine is the Gaza governorate is projected to expand to the governorates of Deir Al-Balah and Khan Younis by the end of September on current projections, according to an IPC briefing shared with its partner organisations accessed by The Telegraph.

“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,” says the IPC said in the briefing.

The IPC said that another 1.07 million people are already facing ’emergency’ levels of food insecurity, the second-highest level on the scale.

The IPC further said that food security in Gaza will continue to deteriorate between August and September.

“During this period, almost a third of the population —nearly 641,000 people— are expected to face catastrophic conditions, while the number of people in emergency will likely increase to 1.14 million,” the IPC said in its briefing.

The hunger crisis has been worsened in Gaza from the killings at food distribution sites. In recent months, hundreds have been killed at food distribution sites in attacks Gazans blame Israel for. The UN has published visuals of Israeli soldiers firing at Palestinians gathered to receive aid.