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The IPC, recognized as the international standard for assessing food insecurity, cited a combination of factors—described as “man-made”—for the crisis, including ongoing conflict, repeated displacement, restricted access to aid, and the collapse of Gaza’s food systems. The report highlights that 30 percent of Gaza City’s population is enduring catastrophic food insecurity, with conditions in North Gaza potentially even worse, though limited data prevents a full classification.
The IPC projects that famine will spread to Deir el-Balah and Khan Younis by the end of September, with 25 percent and 20 percent of their populations, respectively, already facing catastrophic conditions. Additionally, the report estimates that 132,000 children aged five to six, 55,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women, and 25,000 infants will suffer from acute malnutrition by mid-2026 unless urgent action is taken.
The famine declaration comes as Israel’s military operations have intensified, with a total blockade on food, water, medicine, and fuel imposed in mid-March, alongside the destruction of 98 percent of Gaza’s cropland and a ban on fishing. The war, which has claimed over 62,000 Palestinian lives, has displaced 1.9 million people, many multiple times, exacerbating the crisis.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the famine as a “man-made disaster” and a “moral indictment,” urging Israel, as the occupying power, to allow unimpeded humanitarian aid into Gaza. “People are starving. Children are dying. And those with the duty to act are failing,” Guterres said.
Humanitarian organizations have echoed the call for action. David Miliband, president of the International Rescue Committee, labeled the IPC’s findings a “wake-up call” for the international community, demanding immediate humanitarian access and a ceasefire to prevent further loss of life.
Israel, however, has rejected the IPC’s findings, with its Ministry of Foreign Affairs claiming that over 100,000 aid trucks have entered Gaza since the war began, leading to a “sharp decline in food prices.” The statement contradicts the IPC’s evidence of widespread starvation and malnutrition.
The IPC’s famine classification, which requires evidence of extreme food shortages, high child malnutrition rates, and elevated mortality, marks Gaza as the latest region to face such a crisis, following Somalia (2011), South Sudan (2017, 2020), and Sudan (2024). The international community now faces mounting pressure to act swiftly to avert further catastrophe in Gaza.
