Famine Crisis in Gaza
The Gaza Strip faces an unprecedented famine crisis in 2025. Over half a million people are trapped in conditions marked by extreme hunger, starvation, and preventable deaths. The situation is deteriorating rapidly with famine spreading from Gaza City to neighbouring governorates. United Nations agencies have issued urgent calls for an immediate ceasefire and full humanitarian access to prevent further loss of life.
Current Famine Situation
- More than 640,000 people in Gaza are in Catastrophic food insecurity, classified as IPC Phase 5.
- An additional 1.14 million face Emergency (IPC Phase 4) and 396,000 are in Crisis (IPC Phase 3).
- The famine is driven by extreme food deprivation, acute malnutrition, and starvation-related deaths.
- Gaza’s northern areas show equally severe conditions, but lack of data impedes full assessment. Rafah is largely depopulated and was not analysed.
Causes of the Famine
Nearly two years of conflict have devastated Gaza’s food systems. Repeated displacement, restricted humanitarian access, and destruction of agriculture, livestock, and fisheries have crippled local food production. Markets and health services have collapsed. Food supplies entering Gaza remain insufficient and unpredictable. Cropland damage affects 98% of the territory. Fuel shortages limit cooking and medical services. Aid convoys face looting and logistical hurdles.
Impact on Vulnerable Groups
Children are the hardest hit. Recently, over 12,000 children were acutely malnourished, a six-fold increase since January. Nearly 25% suffer from severe acute malnutrition, the deadliest form. The number of children at risk of death from malnutrition has tripled since May. Pregnant and breastfeeding women also face critical malnutrition. One in five babies are born prematurely or underweight, reflecting the crisis’s deep health impacts.
Health and Sanitation Crisis
Gaza’s health system is near collapse. Access to safe drinking water and sanitation has sharply declined. Multi-drug resistant infections are rising. Common illnesses such as diarrhoea and respiratory infections are increasingly fatal, especially among children. Hospitals operate under severe strain with inadequate supplies and exhausted staff. The destruction of infrastructure worsens disease spread and mortality.
Humanitarian Response Needs
UN agencies stress the need for a sustained ceasefire to allow safe humanitarian operations. Large-scale food aid, fuel, cooking gas, medical supplies, and shelter materials are urgently required. Restoration of commercial flows and local food production is vital. Health services must be supported to reverse malnutrition and treat illnesses. Without unimpeded access and peace, famine and suffering will deepen.
Aid Access
UN officials have called famine a man-made tragedy demanding immediate action. They emphasise that access to food is a fundamental human right. Aid must reach all affected populations swiftly and safely. A ceasefire is critical to halt the killing, secure hostage releases, and enable mass humanitarian relief. The international community faces a moral imperative to prevent further deaths.
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