Gaza's Hunger Crisis: Alarming Reports Reveal Widespread Malnutrition and Deaths

 Months of severe hunger have already claimed numerous lives in Gaza and inflicted permanent damage on children through malnutrition, according to two recent food security reports. Even before a formal famine declaration, the situation is dire.

The US-based Famine Early Warning Systems Network (Fews Net) suggested that famine "possibly, if not likely" began in northern Gaza in April. Additionally, two UN agencies warned that over a million people could face death and starvation by mid-July.

Ongoing conflict complicates data collection necessary to confirm a famine. Both organizations emphasized that focusing solely on whether Gaza has officially reached famine status obscures the severe impact of food shortages already affecting Palestinians.

“Regardless of whether or not the famine (IPC phase 5) thresholds have been definitively reached or exceeded, people are dying of hunger-related causes across Gaza,” the Fews Net report stated. “Acute malnutrition among children is extremely high, leading to irreversible physiological impacts."

Experts from Fews Net initially declared it "likely" that famine conditions were present in northern Gaza starting in April. The term "famine" has a strict technical definition involving three conditions: 20% of households experiencing extreme food shortages, one-third of children suffering from acute malnutrition, and significant mortality rates.

However, an internal Fews review panel could not conclusively confirm or reject the findings due to insufficient data, blocked by "conflict and humanitarian access constraints." Israeli authorities control access to Gaza, requiring military permission for movement, with damaged roads, fuel shortages, and disrupted communication networks further hindering efforts.

Given the available evidence and known information gaps, the final report concluded it is "possible, if not likely, that all three IPC thresholds for famine (food consumption, acute malnutrition, and mortality) were met or surpassed in northern Gaza in April."

Martin Griffiths, the outgoing UN aid chief, criticized the lack of action to prevent further catastrophe. “In Gaza, delivering aid has become almost impossible,” he said, emphasizing the need for open border crossings and unimpeded access for humanitarian aid.

The World Food Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organization, in their Hunger Hotspots report, also highlighted the severe impact of hunger, even without a formal famine declaration. “In the absence of a cessation of hostilities and increased access, the impact on mortality and the lives of the Palestinians now, and in future generations, will increase markedly with every day,” the report stated.

New aid routes into northern Gaza have slightly improved food access since May. However, the crisis in the south is worsening due to an Israeli military offensive in Rafah, which has cut off main aid entry points. Reports indicate at least two child deaths from malnutrition.

Fighting has intensified in central Gaza, with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) reporting overwhelming conditions at al-Aqsa hospital following heavy Israeli airstrikes. Over 70 dead and more than 300 wounded have been brought in, pushing the medical system to the brink of collapse. With the Rafah crossing to Egypt closed, medical evacuations for the severely injured are no longer possible.

“The odour of blood in the hospital’s emergency room this morning was unbearable. There are people lying everywhere, on the floor, outside,” said Karin Huster, an MSF medical referent in Gaza. “Bodies were being brought in plastic bags. The situation is overwhelming.”