Gaza's 2.1 Million at Risk of Famine, Half a Million Facing Starvation: IPC Report
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The entire population of the Gaza Strip, approximately 2.1 million people, is at critical risk of famine due to an ongoing Israeli blockade that has halted the entry of food, water, medicine, and other essential supplies for over two months. The blockade, now in its third month, has led to a severe humanitarian crisis, with half a million people facing starvation. This crisis has been exacerbated by 19 months of conflict, mass displacement, and the blockade of humanitarian aid and commercial supplies.
According to a report by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), a global network of UN agencies and humanitarian groups, 477,000 people in Gaza, or 22% of the population, are facing 'catastrophic' hunger from May to September, the highest classification level. Over one million more are at 'emergency' levels, marked by severe food gaps and high acute malnutrition. The IPC warned that famine is imminent if the current conditions persist.
The blockade has decimated local food production and infrastructure, leaving residents almost entirely reliant on external aid. Communal kitchens, a primary source of food for many, are rapidly shutting down due to a lack of supplies. The World Food Programme (WFP) reported that over 116,000 metric tons of food, enough to feed one million people for four months, remain blocked at the border.
The situation has been described as a 'manmade famine' by Oxfam, with scenes of malnourished children and communities surviving without food or clean water. Approximately 71,000 children and more than 17,000 mothers are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition this year. Food prices in Gaza have soared by 3,000% since February, making basic sustenance unaffordable for many.
The IPC's analysis also highlighted that the blockade has led to a significant deterioration in food security since its last report in October 2024. The report calls for urgent action to end the hostilities, allow unhindered humanitarian access, and protect civilians and aid workers. Since the conflict began, Israeli forces have killed at least 52,862 Palestinians and wounded 119,648, while the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, resulted in 1,139 deaths and over 200 hostages taken into Gaza.
Urgent | The Washington Post on the Deputy Director of the Food and Agriculture Organization: We are the closest we have been to the brink of famine in Gaza since October 2023
The Gaza Strip will likely fall into famine if Israel doesn’t lift its blockade and stop its military campaign, food security experts said in a stark warning on Monday. https://t.co/BmTw515dxp
