Famine is declared in Gaza as the food security indicators collapse

GENEVA (AN) — Famine is now officially confirmed across the Gaza Strip, a catastrophic declaration by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).

This marks the dire culmination of a rapidly deteriorating humanitarian crisis, driven by an unprecedented collapse in food consumption and nutrition indicators, intensified conflict, and profound impediments to humanitarian access.

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said Palestinians in Gaza are enduring a humanitarian catastrophe of epic proportions, presenting a test of our shared humanity that we cannot afford to fail. The solution, he said, is an immediate and permanent ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas, unconditional release of all hostages, and unrestricted humanitarian access across Gaza.

"Gaza is on the brink of famine. The facts are in – and they are undeniable," he said on Tuesday. "The trickle of aid must become an ocean. Food, water, medicine, and fuel must flow in waves and without obstruction. This nightmare must end."

The IPC, the global standard for assessing food insecurity, reported the entire Gazan population is experiencing acute food insecurity. It latest alert specifies famine thresholds have now been reached for food consumption across most of Gaza and for acute malnutrition in Gaza City.

"Gaza is now on the brink of a full-scale famine. People are starving not because food is unavailable, but because access is blocked, local agrifood systems have collapsed, and families can no longer sustain even the most basic livelihoods," said the Food and Agriculture Organization's Director-General Qu Dongyu.

"We urgently need safe and sustained humanitarian access and immediate support to restore local food production and livelihoods – this is the only way to prevent further loss of life," Qu said. "The right to food is a basic human right." 

IPC's projections in May had already indicated that the entire population would face IPC Phase 3+ (crisis or worse), with 500,000 people in IPC Phase 5 (catastrophe). Since that analysis the "food and nutrition indicators have gotten dramatically worse," said Jean-Martin Bauer, director of food security and nutrition analysis at the World Food Program.

The northern governorates remain particularly affected. Access to essential services has been severely curtailed for months. The IPC report unequivocally says the conditions for famine, including extreme food shortages, widespread malnutrition, and significant mortality from starvation and disease, are now unequivocally present.

Food consumption, a primary famine indicator, plummeted since May. Data shows 39% or "over one third of the population reports going without food for more than a day," Bauer said. More half a million people, or nearly a quarter of Gaza’s population, are experiencing famine-like conditions; the remainder face emergency levels of hunger.

Acute malnutrition, the second core famine indicator, has escalated at an alarming rate. In Gaza City, malnutrition levels among children under five quadrupled within two months, reaching 16.5%. Bauer confirmed that "in July, for the first time since the start of the crisis, malnutrition levels have exceeded the famine threshold in Gaza City."

This signals a critical decline in nutritional status and a sharp increase in mortality risk. Latest figures indicate that over 20,000 children have been admitted for acute malnutrition treatment between April and mid-July, with more than 3,000 suffering from severe acute malnutrition.

The third core famine indicator, acute malnutrition alongside starvation-related deaths, is now tragically evident. Hospitals reported a rapid surge in hunger-related fatalities among children under five, with at least 16 deaths documented since July 17. Data collection remains challenging amidst a decimated and collapsing health care infrastructure.

'Unconscionable' delays providing life-saving food

WFP and UNICEF emphasized the rapidly diminishing window for a comprehensive humanitarian response. Humanitarian organizations on the ground, however, face severe operational challenges.

Ross Smith, WFP's director of emergencies, said the organization "welcomes the humanitarian pauses that were started on Sunday, but we are not yet getting in the volumes of food and other relief supplies that are needed." He said WFP has only been able to move about half of what it requested into Gaz

These impediments, including ongoing hostilities, extensive infrastructure damage, and restrictive access points, have severely constrained the flow of life-saving supplies to over 2 million Palestinians.

IPC's analysis attributes the crisis to the relentless conflict, which has systematically destroyed agricultural land, fishing capabilities, and local food production systems, crippling Gaza's self-sufficiency. Displaced populations in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions are disproportionately affected.

"The unbearable suffering of the people of Gaza is already clear for the world to see. Waiting for official confirmation of famine to provide life-saving food aid they desperately need is unconscionable," said Cindy McCain, WFP's executive director.

"We need to flood Gaza with large-scale food aid, immediately and without obstruction, and keep it flowing each and every day to prevent mass starvation," she said. "People are already dying of malnutrition and the longer we wait to act, the higher the death toll will rise."

Catherine Russell, UNICEF's executive director, pointed to emaciated children and babies dying from malnutrition in Gaza. "We need immediate, safe and unhindered humanitarian access across Gaza to scale up the delivery of life-saving food, nutrition, water and medicine," she said. "Without that, mothers and fathers will continue to face a parent’s worst nightmare, powerless to save a starving child from a condition we are able to prevent."

Despite a partial reopening of crossings, the volume of humanitarian aid entering Gaza remains significantly below the monthly requirement of over 62,000 tons needed for basic food and nutrition assistance. Smith underscored the need for "a surge of humanitarian supplies – food aid, medicines, water, specialized nutrition products."

He also advocated for the urgent restart of bakeries and community kitchens to alleviate immediate suffering. Re-establishing commercial food imports is deemed critical for diversifying diets with fresh produce and proteins; the persistent lack of fuel, water, and other vital resources undermines famine prevention efforts.

While acknowledging recent commitments to improve operating conditions, including humanitarian pauses, Smith stressed a need for "much faster facilitation of our work to get inside Gaza and in a way that is safe for civilians and our staff. This means faster clearances and approvals and movements of our trucks, it means soldiers should not be present near humanitarian convoys or distribution points and there should be no shooting at crowds as they wait for food aid."