A new international report says Gaza is teetering on the edge of famine, with nearly half a million residents already facing catastrophic levels of hunger. As food runs out and aid remains blocked, the warning signs are only growing, per the AP. Citing Israel's blockade and ongoing military operations, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), a global authority on hunger crises, said outright famine is likely unless conditions change. Nearly 500,000 Palestinians are experiencing "catastrophic" hunger, or the most severe level, while another million face "emergency" hunger.
Gaza's 2.3 million residents depend almost entirely on outside aid, but Israel has prevented the entry of food, medicine, and other supplies for weeks. Communal kitchens, the main remaining food source, are running out of stock and shutting doors. Long lines are common, but many wait for hours and leave empty-handed. Aid groups report that food, medicine, and water supplies are nearly exhausted.
The IPC sets a high bar for declaring a famine—requiring two of three conditions: extreme food scarcity, high rates of child malnutrition, and elevated death rates—but so far only the first threshold, extreme hunger for at least 20% of households, has been met in Gaza. Malnutrition cases among children have doubled since February, and what food is left is often prohibitively expensive. Israel blames Hamas for diverting aid and says it will not allow deliveries until it has full control of distribution. The UN disputes claims of aid diversion and says Israel's new restrictions will worsen the situation. The US says it is working on a compromise plan, but there's no timeframe. (This content was created with the help of AI. Read our AI policy.)
,
uBlock 
,
and
Ghostery 
)
