The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) has declared a widespread famine in Gaza, marking the first such declaration in the Middle East and highlighting a severe humanitarian crisis. This famine, driven by conflict and aid restrictions, has left over 500,000 Palestinians starving, with numbers expected to rise, and underscores urgent calls for a ceasefire and unimpeded humanitarian access.
Who: The crisis involves Palestinians in Gaza, particularly in Gaza City, with key actors including the Israeli government, Hamas, United Nations agencies (such as FAO, UNICEF, WFP, WHO), and the IPC, an international body that assesses food security. Israeli officials have denied responsibility, blaming Hamas for aid diversion, while UN and humanitarian organizations emphasize Israel’s obligations as the occupying power.
What: The IPC declared a Level 5 ‘catastrophic’ famine in Gaza, indicating that extreme food deprivation, acute malnutrition, and starvation-related deaths have surpassed critical thresholds. This declaration is based on rigorous data collection and represents the gold standard in nutritional crisis assessment, confirming that a quarter of Gaza’s population is experiencing starvation.
When: The famine declaration was made on Friday, August 23, 2025, following months of escalating warnings and deteriorating conditions. The crisis has been unfolding over the course of the ongoing Israel-Gaza war, with the most severe deterioration occurring recently, leading to this official confirmation.
Where: The famine is centered in the Gaza Strip, with Gaza City being the hardest hit area. The IPC noted that while famine conditions are suspected in the northern regions, data limitations prevented a full declaration there, but the entire territory is affected by severe food insecurity.
Why: The famine is largely man-made, resulting from the blockade of aid, military operations, and restrictions imposed by Israel, which controls access to Gaza. Israel’s policies have hampered aid delivery, with permissions for convoys often delayed or insufficient, and accusations that Hamas has looted aid, though evidence points to systemic issues under Israeli authority.
How: Aid agencies report that Israel’s ‘weaponization’ of aid, including new registration rules and erratic permissions, has prevented sufficient food from reaching civilians. The IPC’s assessment relied on data from clinics, journalists, and firsthand accounts of people going days without food, leading to weight loss, exhaustion, and deaths among vulnerable groups like children and the elderly.
Impact: The famine has caused hundreds of thousands to face starvation, with acute malnutrition rates soaring and hunger-related deaths increasing. This humanitarian disaster has drawn international condemnation, with UN Secretary-General António Guterres calling it a ‘moral indictment’ and a failure of humanity, potentially amounting to war crimes due to Israel’s actions.
What’s next: There are urgent calls for an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages held by Hamas, and unfettered humanitarian access to avert further catastrophe. However, Israel is threatening a new offensive in Gaza City, which could displace up to 1 million people and exacerbate the famine, highlighting the need for international intervention to prevent more deaths.