A catastrophic famine is almost inevitable in Gaza, a stark new United Nations-backed report has concluded, marking a grim escalation in the humanitarian crisis triggered by the ongoing war.
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) initiative, the global authority on food security assessments, has classified the entire population of Gaza – some 2.2 million people – as facing crisis-level hunger or worse. The most alarming findings project that famine will likely take hold in the northern governorates between now and May 2024.
A Race Against Time
The report underscores that preventing a full-scale famine requires immediate and unconditional action. "The actions needed to prevent famine require an immediate political decision for a ceasefire together with a significant and immediate increase in humanitarian and commercial access to the entire population of Gaza," the IPC stated.
This warning comes as aid agencies continue to face immense obstacles in delivering life-saving supplies. Despite international pressure, Israel's stringent inspections and restrictions on convoys have created a bottleneck, with aid trickling in at a fraction of the pre-war volume.
Starvation as a Weapon of War
The findings have intensified accusations from leading UN officials and human rights groups. Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, did not mince words, stating the crisis shows all the signs of starvation being used as a method of warfare.
"The situation of hunger, starvation and famine is a result of Israel’s extensive restrictions on the entry and distribution of humanitarian aid and commercial goods, displacement of most of the population, as well as the destruction of crucial civilian infrastructure," Türk's office said.
International Outcry and Israeli Denials
The report has ignited fresh international condemnation. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell accused Israel of using starvation as a "weapon of war". In response, the Israeli government, specifically the COGAT unit overseeing Palestinian civilian affairs, has denied these allegations, insisting it "allows extensive humanitarian aid into Gaza".
However, this claim stands in stark contrast to the evidence on the ground and the assessments of every major aid organisation operating in the territory. With the threat of famine now official, the pressure on Israel’s government to facilitate unfettered aid access has reached a critical peak.
