Sky-high rates of hunger and malnutrition in Gaza exceed the thresholds that indicate a famine situation, as alerted by the United Nations
Gaza Faces Catastrophic Hunger Crisis as Urgent Action is Called for
In Gaza, a humanitarian crisis of epic proportions is unfolding, with the United Nations (UN) and various international agencies sounding the alarm over the dire situation. The World Food Programme (WFP), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and UNICEF have issued a joint warning, highlighting the urgent need for action to prevent further loss of life and relieve the manmade famine that is threatening the region.
The crisis in Gaza is primarily driven by the full blockade imposed by Israel since March 2025, following the collapse of the ceasefire after Hamas’s attack in October 2023. This blockade has severely restricted imports, including food and medical aid, plunging Gaza into unprecedented levels of hunger and malnutrition. The suspension of aid deliveries and the replacement of the previous UN-led aid distribution system with a limited and controversial Israeli-backed system (the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation) has drastically reduced the amount and accessibility of aid.
The complete collapse of Gaza’s health and humanitarian infrastructure due to ongoing conflict and restrictions, mounting deaths from starvation, notably among children and vulnerable populations such as pregnant and breastfeeding women, increased violence and deadly chaos at aid distribution points, and Gaza’s preexisting poverty, resource-poor environment, and longstanding food insecurity worsened by the war are all contributing factors.
The World Food Programme's executive director, Cindy McCain, has called for Gaza to be "flooded with food aid immediately and without obstruction." She has also stated that waiting for a formal declaration of famine before acting would be "unconscionable." UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has declared that Palestinians in Gaza are enduring a humanitarian catastrophe of epic proportions.
Urgent actions needed to address this catastrophe include the immediate lifting or substantial easing of the blockade to restore regular, safe, and adequate deliveries of food, water, and medical supplies. Reinstating an impartial, neutral, and extensive UN-led aid distribution system instead of the limited, centralized Israeli-supported model is also crucial to ensure wide and safe access to humanitarian assistance.
Scaling up international diplomatic pressure on Israel and relevant parties to allow unrestricted humanitarian access and protect civilians in Gaza, rapid mobilization of international humanitarian aid targeting nutrition, including specialized support for children, pregnant and breastfeeding women facing acute malnutrition, and establishing secure corridors and safe zones for vulnerable populations to access food and medical aid without risk of violence are all essential steps.
According to UN data, Gaza needs at least 62,000 tonnes of food and nutritional aid every month, yet aid flows remain far below what is required to support Gaza's more than 2 million residents. Thousands of children in Gaza are suffering from the most deadly form of acute malnutrition, with acute malnutrition among children under 5 years old in Gaza City having quadrupled in just two months, reaching 16.5 percent. The FAO's director-general, Qu Dongyu, has stated that Gaza is now on the brink of a full-scale famine.
Reports of starvation-related deaths are increasing, though comprehensive data is difficult to gather due to the healthcare system in Gaza teetering on the verge of total collapse after nearly two years of conflict. UNICEF warns that all 320,000 under-5s in Gaza are now at risk of acute malnutrition. The longer the wait, the higher the death toll will rise, according to Cindy McCain.
Time is rapidly running out to launch a full-scale humanitarian response in Gaza. The agencies have called for an immediate and sustained ceasefire agreement, mass humanitarian access using all border crossings, the restoration of basic services, and international investment in efforts to rebuild Gaza's food systems and agricultural capacity. Guterres has urged an immediate and permanent humanitarian ceasefire, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, and full, unfettered humanitarian access across Gaza.
Urgent, multilayered humanitarian and political interventions are essential to prevent further loss of life and relieve this manmade famine. It is crucial that the international community acts swiftly and decisively to address this crisis before it is too late.
[1] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/11/30/gaza-on-brink-of-full-scale-famine-as-international-aid-falls-short [2] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-palestinians-gaza-hunger-idUSKBN2E11QR [3] https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/2023/11/30/unicef-warns-of-impending-catastrophe-as-gaza-faces-acute-malnutrition-crisis [4] https://www.wfp.org/news/gaza-brink-full-scale-famine-wfp-calls-urgent-action-prevent-further-loss-life
- The World Food Programme has emphasized the immediate need for floods of food aid in Gaza to prevent further loss of life and alleviate the manmade famine threatening the region.
- The crisis in Gaza is exacerbated by the severe restrictions on imports of food and medical aid due to the full blockade imposed by Israel since March 2025.
- The situation in Gaza is worsened by the collapse of health and humanitarian infrastructure, increasing violence at aid distribution points, and Gaza's preexisting poverty, resource-poor environment, and longstanding food insecurity.
- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has declared that the Palestinians in Gaza are enduring a humanitarian catastrophe of epic proportions.
- To address this crisis, it is critical to lift or substantially ease the blockade to restore regular, safe, and adequate deliveries of food, water, and medical supplies, and to reinstate a neutral UN-led aid distribution system.
- International diplomatic pressure should be scaled up on Israel and relevant parties to allow unrestricted humanitarian access and protect civilians in Gaza, and secure corridors and safe zones should be established for vulnerable populations.
- Gaza needs at least 62,000 tonnes of food and nutritional aid every month, yet aid flows remain far below what is required to support Gaza's more than 2 million residents.
- Reports of starvation-related deaths are increasing, with thousands of children suffering from the most dangerous forms of acute malnutrition.
- To prevent further loss of life, urgent and multilayered humanitarian and political interventions are necessary, and the international community must act swiftly and decisively to address this crisis before it is too late.
