WEB DESK: The United Nations has declared Gaza as drought-stricken, with some areas already experiencing famine, This situation is expected to worsen in the coming month.
According to a report by the UN’s Global Hunger Monitoring Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), approximately 514,000 Palestinians—nearly one-quarter of Gaza’s population—are currently facing famine, and this number could rise to 641,000 by the end of September.The IPC report states that the northern regions, especially Gaza City, have been officially declared famine-affected, where around 280,000 people are dying of hunger. Other affected areas include Dier al-Balah and Khan Younis, which may also face famine next month.
Meanwhile, Israel has rejected the IPC report on famine in Gaza. The Israeli Foreign Ministry said there is no famine situation in Gaza, and since the start of the conflict, over 100,000 aid trucks have entered Gaza. The Israeli military agency COGAT dismissed allegations of famine and aid entry restrictions, claiming that Hamas is running a “false hunger campaign” and that Organizations like the United Nations are spreading baseless claims about a famine in Gaza.
UN aid chief Tom Fletcher, speaking to journalists in Geneva, stated that the famine spreading in Gaza could have been prevented but was made impossible due to Israel’s “systematic obstacles” that hindered the delivery of aid supplies. He added that this is a famine that could have been stopped if permission had been granted, but food supplies remain halted at borders because Israel continues to impose restrictions.Fletcher described it as the “famine of the 21st century” and called it a “moment of collective shame” for the international community, as the world has witnessed it unfolding in real time.
He urged Prime Minister Netanyahu to allow aid to enter Gaza on a large scale without restrictions and to end retaliatory measures.UN Human Rights Chief Wilfredo Turk stated that the spread of famine in northern Gaza is a direct result of Israeli government actions, and that deaths from hunger could be considered war crimes.
In a statement, he said that today’s famine in Gaza is a consequence of Israeli policies, and using hunger as a weapon constitutes a war crime. The resulting deaths could also be classified as intentional killings.
It is noteworthy that UN Secretary-General António Guterres had previously warned of an unfolding humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. Countries like the UK, Canada, Australia, and European nations have also described the crisis as unimaginable. Last month, U.S. President Donald Trump said that people in Gaza are indeed dying from hunger.
