In a dire warning issued on Monday, a UN-backed food security assessment revealed that half of the population in Gaza is currently experiencing “catastrophic” hunger, with famine projected to hit the territory’s north by May if urgent intervention is not undertaken.
According to the assessment conducted by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) partnership, approximately 1.1 million people in Gaza are facing “catastrophic food insecurity” as a result of the Israel-Hamas conflict. Beth Bechdol, the deputy director-general of the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), described the situation as unprecedented, emphasizing the urgent need for action.
The IPC’s hunger monitoring system, which rates hunger levels on a scale from one to five, is utilized by the UN and governments to determine whether a famine should be declared. The current assessment paints a grim picture, particularly in the northern governorates of Gaza, where the situation is described as dire.
The report warns that famine is imminent in the northern governorates and could occur anytime between mid-March and May 2024. Accessing the area to distribute food and aid has proven to be challenging for aid agencies, exacerbating the crisis.
Despite efforts to deliver aid by air or sea, UN agencies stress that these methods cannot fully substitute for land deliveries. The report underscores that famine is likely to occur under the most plausible scenario, which assumes ongoing conflict escalation and continued impediments to humanitarian aid delivery.
The IPC report urges proactive measures to address the looming humanitarian catastrophe, emphasizing that waiting for retrospective famine classification before taking action is indefensible. Donors and international organizations are called upon to ramp up efforts to provide essential assistance to the affected population in Gaza.
