Food Crisis Experts Warn of ‘Worst-Case Scenario’ Famine Unfolding in Gaza
The Gaza Strip is now experiencing the “worst-case scenario of famine,” global food crisis experts warned on Tuesday, predicting widespread deaths unless urgent action is taken. The alert, issued by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), stops short of a formal famine declaration but describes a rapidly deteriorating humanitarian emergency.
The warning follows growing international outrage over images of severely malnourished children and reports of dozens of hunger-related deaths nearly two years into the war. In response to mounting pressure, Israel recently announced daily humanitarian pauses in specific areas of Gaza and resumed limited airdrops of aid. However, U.N. officials and Palestinian residents say the situation on the ground remains dire, with chaotic scenes of desperate civilians intercepting aid trucks before they reach their destinations.
The IPC says conditions in Gaza have sharply worsened due to intensified Israeli blockades and restrictions. Although the region has hovered on the brink of famine for months, access challenges have prevented the collection of data required for a formal famine designation — a rare move previously made only in Somalia (2011), South Sudan (2017 and 2020), and Sudan’s Darfur region (2023).
Still, independent experts say the signs are unmistakable.
“This is famine,” said Alex de Waal, author of Mass Starvation and executive director of the World Peace Foundation. “You don’t need lab tests when the symptoms are staring you in the face.”
When Is Famine Officially Declared?
A formal famine declaration requires that:
- At least 20% of households face extreme food shortages,
- 30% or more of young children suffer from acute malnutrition, and
- Two or more adults or four children per 10,000 people die daily from starvation or related causes.
According to the IPC report, which covers data through July 25, Gaza is already meeting at least two of these thresholds. It says food consumption is at its lowest point since the conflict began, and acute malnutrition affects nearly 17% of children under five in Gaza City. The report warns the crisis has reached “an alarming and deadly turning point.”
The World Food Program reports that one in three Gazans now goes without food for days at a time, while hospitals are overwhelmed by rising numbers of hunger-related deaths in young children. Over 2 million people remain crammed into shrinking pockets of devastated territory as health systems and essential services collapse.
Aid Efforts Hampered
Despite Israeli claims that there are no limits on aid truck entries, U.N. agencies and humanitarian organizations argue that ongoing military operations and looting are obstructing delivery efforts. Aid convoys are often intercepted by desperate civilians or criminal groups, and humanitarian corridors remain unreliable.
While Israel imposed a full blockade in March to pressure Hamas over hostage releases, it eased some restrictions in May and introduced a new U.S.-backed aid system. However, aid groups say the system is plagued by logistical failures and security concerns.
Doctors Without Borders recently criticized the use of airdrops, calling them ineffective and hazardous. “Airdrops deliver far less than trucks can — and they add chaos to an already fragile situation,” the group said.
Political Fallout
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed claims of mass starvation, insisting that Israel has allowed sufficient aid into Gaza: “If there wasn’t, there would be no Gazans left.” The Israeli military also rejected accusations of deliberate starvation as “false claims.”
However, even Israel’s closest allies are expressing concern. Former U.S. President Donald Trump commented on the recent images from Gaza, saying: “Those children look very hungry.”
The IPC’s latest alert concludes with a stark warning: “Failure to act now will result in widespread death in much of the Strip.”
