UN Warning of Unprecedented Humanitarian Catastrophe in Gaza
August 22, 202555 ViewsRead Time: 2 minutes
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In the first official acknowledgment of its kind in the Middle East, the United Nations confirmed that more than half a million people in Gaza are already living in complete famine conditions, where the population faces "severe hunger and death from malnutrition." This announcement came in a new analysis issued by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), which warns that famine will extend from Gaza City to Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis in the coming weeks.
640,000 people will face catastrophic levels of hunger by September 2025. And 1.14 million people are in emergency phase (phase four of hunger). And 12,000 children suffer from acute malnutrition - the highest number ever, increasing sixfold since the beginning of 2025. And 25% of children suffer from acute malnutrition. And 55,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women are expected to suffer from life-threatening malnutrition by mid-2026.
Gaza can no longer feed itself as 98% of agricultural land is damaged or inaccessible, with a near-total collapse of market systems and services, and food prices have reached record levels. There is a severe shortage of fuel and water necessary for cooking.
The four UN organizations (FAO, UNICEF, WFP, and WHO) called for an immediate and permanent ceasefire - as a prerequisite for any humanitarian solution. Unrestricted access to aid through all crossings and urgent support for the health sector, drinking water, sanitation, and the restoration of local food production and essential trade.
This famine is not a natural incident, but a direct result of an ongoing blockade for 18 years and repeated military operations that have destroyed infrastructure and deliberately restricted the flow of aid and essential goods, along with systematic targeting of the agricultural and health sectors.
Technical solutions are no longer sufficient. What is needed is unprecedented international pressure to force Israel to open the crossings and bypass bureaucracy in inspection and delays, urgent funding for nutrition and healthcare programs, and legal accountability for those responsible for this humanitarian crime.
640,000 people will face catastrophic levels of hunger by September 2025. And 1.14 million people are in emergency phase (phase four of hunger). And 12,000 children suffer from acute malnutrition - the highest number ever, increasing sixfold since the beginning of 2025. And 25% of children suffer from acute malnutrition. And 55,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women are expected to suffer from life-threatening malnutrition by mid-2026.
Gaza can no longer feed itself as 98% of agricultural land is damaged or inaccessible, with a near-total collapse of market systems and services, and food prices have reached record levels. There is a severe shortage of fuel and water necessary for cooking.
The four UN organizations (FAO, UNICEF, WFP, and WHO) called for an immediate and permanent ceasefire - as a prerequisite for any humanitarian solution. Unrestricted access to aid through all crossings and urgent support for the health sector, drinking water, sanitation, and the restoration of local food production and essential trade.
This famine is not a natural incident, but a direct result of an ongoing blockade for 18 years and repeated military operations that have destroyed infrastructure and deliberately restricted the flow of aid and essential goods, along with systematic targeting of the agricultural and health sectors.
Technical solutions are no longer sufficient. What is needed is unprecedented international pressure to force Israel to open the crossings and bypass bureaucracy in inspection and delays, urgent funding for nutrition and healthcare programs, and legal accountability for those responsible for this humanitarian crime.
