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The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has labeled the confirmed famine in Gaza City and its neighboring regions as a "failure of humanity." According to Guterres, the humanitarian crisis has emerged from a "man-made disaster," following a report from a UN-supported organization that elevated the food insecurity status in certain areas of Gaza to Phase 5—the most severe classification, indicating famine.
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) reveals that over 500,000 individuals in Gaza are grappling with "catastrophic" conditions characterized by starvation, destitution, and imminent death. In contrast, Israel has denied the existence of starvation, calling the report an "outright lie." The Israeli government criticized the claims, stating instead that it is restricted from allowing sufficient aid into the territory, a contention that contrasts sharply with testimonies from more than 100 humanitarian organizations, various United Nations bodies, and several ally nations, including the UK.
The IPC report stresses that an "immediate, at-scale response" is vital to prevent a significant rise in famine-related fatalities. Projections indicate that famine conditions could extend to Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis by the end of September. The situation could worsen significantly, with forecasts suggesting that nearly 641,000 residents—roughly one-third of Gaza's population—will find themselves in IPC Phase 5, while about 1.14 million will be in IPC Phase 4 (emergency) conditions.
The UN denotes that malnutrition will threaten the lives of approximately 132,000 children under the age of five until June 2026. Since the onset of the ongoing conflict, Gaza's health ministry has reported 271 deaths attributed to malnutrition, including 112 children. Notably, only four famines have been classified by the IPC since its inception in 2004, the latest occurring in Sudan in 2024.
A mother from Gaza City, Reem Tawfiq Khader, emphasized the importance of the famine declaration despite arriving too late, stating, "We haven't eaten any protein for five months. My youngest child, just four years old, does not know what fruits and vegetables are." Meanwhile, Rida Hijjeh reported drastic health declines for her daughter due to lack of food, pleading for the world to acknowledge their plight.
In response to the IPC findings, UN aid chief Tom Fletcher insisted that this famine is preventable, asserting that systematic obstructions by Israel hinder the flow of essential supplies into Palestinian territory. Guterres reiterated that the famine is not an enigma but a result of human actions, defining it as "a moral indictment and a failure of humanity itself." He emphasized Israel's obligations under international law to ensure food and medical aid reaches the affected populations.
Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), stated that the famine equates to "starvation by design," with Israeli governmental actions directly responsible for humanitarian constraints. UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy denounced the situation as a "moral outrage," echoing the sentiments of multiple international observers.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the nation's actions, asserting that Israel does not endorse starvation policies but emphasizes preventing starvation. He claimed that around 2 million tons of aid have been permitted to enter Gaza since the hostilities began.
Amid increasing international scrutiny, the Israeli military recently offered airdrops of humanitarian assistance, which were met with skepticism by aid organizations, deeming these actions inadequate and pointedly dangerous as past incidents have resulted in civilian casualties. Despite announcing humanitarian corridors for UN convoys, the UN has maintained that the current level of aid—approximately 300 trucks daily—falls significantly short of the estimated 600 trucks required for effective response.
This report arrives as Israel prepares for a further military operation to occupy Gaza City, following attacks attributed to Hamas that left approximately 1,200 dead and around 251 individuals taken captive. In total, Gaza's health ministry estimates at least 62,122 deaths within the territory since the conflict's onset, as continual military campaign has displaced much of Gaza's population and severely damaged critical infrastructure, resulting in collapsed healthcare, water, sanitation, and hygiene systems.
The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has labeled the confirmed famine in Gaza City and its neighboring regions as a "failure of humanity." According to Guterres, the humanitarian crisis has emerged from a "man-made disaster," following a report from a UN-supported organization that elevated the food insecurity status in certain areas of Gaza to Phase 5—the most severe classification, indicating famine.
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) reveals that over 500,000 individuals in Gaza are grappling with "catastrophic" conditions characterized by starvation, destitution, and imminent death. In contrast, Israel has denied the existence of starvation, calling the report an "outright lie." The Israeli government criticized the claims, stating instead that it is restricted from allowing sufficient aid into the territory, a contention that contrasts sharply with testimonies from more than 100 humanitarian organizations, various United Nations bodies, and several ally nations, including the UK.
The IPC report stresses that an "immediate, at-scale response" is vital to prevent a significant rise in famine-related fatalities. Projections indicate that famine conditions could extend to Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis by the end of September. The situation could worsen significantly, with forecasts suggesting that nearly 641,000 residents—roughly one-third of Gaza's population—will find themselves in IPC Phase 5, while about 1.14 million will be in IPC Phase 4 (emergency) conditions.
The UN denotes that malnutrition will threaten the lives of approximately 132,000 children under the age of five until June 2026. Since the onset of the ongoing conflict, Gaza's health ministry has reported 271 deaths attributed to malnutrition, including 112 children. Notably, only four famines have been classified by the IPC since its inception in 2004, the latest occurring in Sudan in 2024.
A mother from Gaza City, Reem Tawfiq Khader, emphasized the importance of the famine declaration despite arriving too late, stating, "We haven't eaten any protein for five months. My youngest child, just four years old, does not know what fruits and vegetables are." Meanwhile, Rida Hijjeh reported drastic health declines for her daughter due to lack of food, pleading for the world to acknowledge their plight.
In response to the IPC findings, UN aid chief Tom Fletcher insisted that this famine is preventable, asserting that systematic obstructions by Israel hinder the flow of essential supplies into Palestinian territory. Guterres reiterated that the famine is not an enigma but a result of human actions, defining it as "a moral indictment and a failure of humanity itself." He emphasized Israel's obligations under international law to ensure food and medical aid reaches the affected populations.
Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), stated that the famine equates to "starvation by design," with Israeli governmental actions directly responsible for humanitarian constraints. UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy denounced the situation as a "moral outrage," echoing the sentiments of multiple international observers.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the nation's actions, asserting that Israel does not endorse starvation policies but emphasizes preventing starvation. He claimed that around 2 million tons of aid have been permitted to enter Gaza since the hostilities began.
Amid increasing international scrutiny, the Israeli military recently offered airdrops of humanitarian assistance, which were met with skepticism by aid organizations, deeming these actions inadequate and pointedly dangerous as past incidents have resulted in civilian casualties. Despite announcing humanitarian corridors for UN convoys, the UN has maintained that the current level of aid—approximately 300 trucks daily—falls significantly short of the estimated 600 trucks required for effective response.
This report arrives as Israel prepares for a further military operation to occupy Gaza City, following attacks attributed to Hamas that left approximately 1,200 dead and around 251 individuals taken captive. In total, Gaza's health ministry estimates at least 62,122 deaths within the territory since the conflict's onset, as continual military campaign has displaced much of Gaza's population and severely damaged critical infrastructure, resulting in collapsed healthcare, water, sanitation, and hygiene systems.
