Half a Million Gazans Endure Catastrophic Food Insecurity with 90% of Children Malnourished

By Staff, Agencies

A UN report warns that half a million Palestinians in Gaza are facing catastrophic hunger levels, with the entire Gaza Strip at high risk of famine following recent “Israeli” violence.

The latest "Special Snapshot" from the UN’s Integrated Food Security Phase Classification [IPC] reveals that more than 495,000 people—one in five of Gaza's population—are experiencing "catastrophic levels of acute food insecurity," characterized by extreme food shortages, starvation and exhaustion.

The report highlights that the situation has worsened due to renewed “Israeli” hostilities, stating, "A high risk of famine persists across the whole of the Gaza Strip as long as conflict continues and humanitarian access is restricted."

The IPC report also notes, "More than half of Gaza households often have no food in the house, and over 20% go entire days and nights without eating. The recent trajectory is negative and highly unstable, threatening to reverse the improvements seen in April rapidly”.

Adnan Abu Hasna, a spokesman for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees [UNRWA], described the conditions in northern Gaza as catastrophic, with tens of thousands of families starving. He said some families manage to eat only one meal every two to three days, underscoring the humanitarian crisis.

In southern Gaza, where 75% of the population resides, severe hunger is rampant, with 90% of children experiencing malnutrition. Abu Hasna called for urgent interventions to prevent famine in the Gaza Strip.

Reports from the UN and humanitarian organizations indicate that 50,000 children urgently need medical care for acute malnutrition. Besides food shortages, hundreds of thousands face severe potable water shortages, exacerbated by the destruction of desalination plants, fuel shortages and sewage contamination of underground water reservoirs.

Abu Hasna stressed the immense challenge of providing aid to Gaza, calling for "an end to the war, the opening of “Israeli” crossings and humanitarian corridors, and increased aid volume." He warned that the current conditions make Gaza an unbearable hell.

UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini expressed deep concerns about Gaza's collapsing health facilities, citing continuous "Israeli bombardments and ground operations." He noted that children are dying of malnutrition and dehydration while food and clean water wait in trucks.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell reiterated the dire situation in Gaza, emphasizing that “Israeli” forces continue to block water, food and medicine entry despite the crisis affecting innocent children.

UN agencies have repeatedly warned of severe shortages of essential supplies in Gaza, worsened by restricted land access and the shutdown of the Rafah crossing with Egypt after its seizure by “Israeli” forces in early May.

The apartheid “Israeli” entity’s genocidal war has claimed nearly 37,626 lives, mostly women and children, and wounded over 86,098 Palestinians since October last year.