"Apocalypse": Gaza Faces Famine-Like Crisis Because Of Acute Food Shortage

A famine-like crisis is now taking hold in Gaza with food and essential services "plummeting to unprecedented levels", a UN-backed food security group has warned.

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) called it the "worst-case scenario of famine", citing drastic shortages of food, clean water, and basic health services in the besieged enclave.

The IPC's alert, based on mounting data, reveals that widespread starvation, malnutrition, and disease are causing a rise in hunger-related deaths, CNN reported.

Like apocalypse: Civilians as aid trucks entered Rafah, Gaza. pic.twitter.com/g5GT7w3QBh

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"Conflict and displacement have intensified, and access to food and other essential items and services has plummeted to unprecedented levels," the IPC said.

The IPC said health workers treated over 20,000 children for acute malnutrition between April and mid-July, including more than 3,000 who were severely malnourished. "Latest data indicates that famine thresholds have been reached for food consumption in most of the Gaza Strip and for acute malnutrition in Gaza City," the group said.

It called for "immediate action" to end the fighting and allow large-scale humanitarian aid. In May, the IPC warned that everyone in Gaza faced "high levels of acute food insecurity" and was at "high risk" of famine.

"It's clearly a disaster unfolding in front of our eyes, in front of our television screens," said Ross Smith, UN World Food Programme (WFP) director of emergencies. "This is not a warning, this is a call to action. This is unlike anything we have seen in this century," he said.

Since Israel's war began on October 7, 2023, close to 60,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. In Gaza, more than 470,000 people, including 71,000 children under five, are now in starvation conditions, according to the latest UN estimates.

Israel's full blockade, in place since March 2, has virtually cut off access to food, medicine, fuel, and humanitarian supplies.

Over 1,060 people have reportedly been killed while attempting to reach food distribution points.

On Monday, US president Donald Trump called the situation "real starvation," contradicting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's claim that no starvation exists in Gaza.

"That's real starvation stuff," Trump said while speaking to reporters in Scotland. "I see it, and you can't fake that. So, we're going to be even more involved." He added that the US would set up "food centres" in Gaza.

Israel announced it would pause military operations in parts of Gaza for 10 hours daily to allow aid convoys safe passage. The UN says 500-600 trucks are needed each day to meet humanitarian needs, while only around 100 trucks have entered since the policy change.

The World Food Programme said it was only able to send in about half the daily target and has not yet reopened the lifeline bakeries and community kitchens that shut down in May due to shortages.

While over 96 million meal kits have been distributed by the US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) since late May, the IPC warns that most contents like rice, pasta and beans require cooking but clean water and fuel are scarce.