The United Nations has characterized the famine currently afflicting Gaza City as a "failure of humanity," calling attention to the alarming levels of food insecurity facing its residents. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres referred to the catastrophic situation as a "man-made disaster," after a UN-backed organization raised the hunger status in the area to Phase 5, indicating dire conditions such as starvation and destitution.
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) revealed that more than 500,000 individuals in Gaza are experiencing "catastrophic" levels of hunger. However, Israeli officials have dismissed these claims as false, asserting that there is no starvation occurring in the region. This denial stands in stark contrast to reports from more than 100 humanitarian organizations, local witnesses, and various international bodies, indicating that aid flow into Gaza remains severely restricted.
The IPC has called for an immediate and large-scale response to stave off an "unacceptable escalation" in starvation-related fatalities in the area. Projections indicate that by late September, nearly 641,000 individuals may fall into IPC Phase 5 conditions, while approximately 1.14 million people could be facing Phase 4 emergencies.
The UN report highlights the grave threat of malnutrition, particularly among children, with projections that up to 132,000 children under five years old could face life-threatening conditions by June 2026. Since the conflict's escalation, the local health ministry has recorded 271 malnutrition-related deaths, including 112 children.
Reem Tawfiq Khader, a mother from Gaza City, expressed her distress over the famine declaration, noting the severe lack of protein in her family's diet and her child's unawareness of common fruits and vegetables. Another resident detailed her daughter's dramatic weight loss and deteriorating health, attributing these issues directly to the famine.
UN aid officials state that the starvation crisis could be alleviated if not for the systematic obstacles placed by Israeli authorities. Guterres emphasized the moral implications of the famine, declaring it "not a mystery," but rather a deliberate failure to meet humanitarian obligations under international law.
International leaders, including UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, have labeled the situation as a "moral outrage," condemning Israel for its refusal to permit sufficient aid delivery into Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, claims that Israel is committed to preventing starvation, pointing out the volume of aid allowed into the region.
As tensions escalate, the Israeli military is planning a new offensive in Gaza City in response to attacks on southern Israel by Hamas. Reports indicate substantial loss of life and widespread destruction of infrastructure, leaving the majority of Gaza's population displaced and without essential services. The international community faces mounting pressure to act and address the dire humanitarian crisis unfolding in the region.
