UN body declares first famine in Gaza as ceasefire demands rise

A United Nations-backed body declared a famine in Gaza for the first time since the Israel-Hamas war broke out in 2023, a finding likely to intensify international calls for an end to fighting and the accelerated delivery of aid.  

More than 640,000 people in the Palestinian territory will face “catastrophic levels of food insecurity” by the end of September, according to a report released Friday by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, which monitors global hunger with the backing of the UN and other aid agencies.  

That’s about a third of Gaza’s population of about 2 million, and “acute malnutrition is projected to continue worsening rapidly,” the IPC said. The group called for an “immediate and sustained cessation of hostilities” and “unconditional and safe humanitarian access” to alleviate the crisis. 

Israel rejected the findings, with the foreign ministry calling the report “fabricated.” The country’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, known as COGAT, said the analysis relied on “partial, biased data and superficial information originating from Hamas.”  

The IPC scale is a globally recognized system to categorize food security levels in a population. Th UN-backed body has declared only four other famines since its creation in 2004, all in Africa. Those are Somalia in 2011, South Sudan in 2017 and 2020, and Sudan in 2024.  

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday authorized the start of fresh talks to secure the release of hostages still held by Hamas and end the war, though has hardened his conditions for a deal in recent weeks. The government is demanding Hamas surrenders, disarms and releases all 50 hostages held in Gaza, while prior talks centered on the initial release of half the 20 hostages believed to be alive. 

At the same time, Israel’s military is stepping up plans to take over Gaza City, the territory’s de-facto capital, in an escalation of the campaign. That plan has been widely condemned by governments in the Middle East and beyond, though retains the support of the US, Israel’s chief ally.  

“We cannot allow this situation to continue with impunity,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said following the release of the IPC’s report. He called for “an immediate ceasefire, the immediate release of all hostages, and full, unfettered humanitarian access.” 

United Nations bodies have warned of widespread starvation and malnutrition in Gaza for months, particularly after Israel blocked the entry of international aid following the expiration of the most recent truce in March.  

The government agreed to allow easier access for humanitarian groups at the end of July, leading to a sharp increase in the number of food trucks crossing into Gaza, though groups such as the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs say the amount remains insufficient to meet minimal levels of food needs. 

“In recent weeks, a massive influx of aid has flooded the Strip with staple foods and caused a sharp decline in food prices,” Israel’s foreign ministry said. 

Hamas, designated as a terrorist group by the US and European Union, on Monday said it had agreed to a ceasefire proposal by mediators Qatar and Egypt. Israel hasn’t formally responded.  

The war in Gaza began after Hamas attacked Israel in October 2023, killing about 1,200 people and abducting 250. More than 62,000 Palestinians have been killed in the subsequent Israeli campaign, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry.