UN-Backed Body Declares ‘Entirely Man-Made’ Famine in Parts of Gaza
New Delhi: The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), a UN-backed body, has declared that an “entirely man-made” famine is underway in Gaza.
The IPC, a globally recognised body that monitors food insecurity, has only declared four famines since its establishment in 2004, with the most recent one in Sudan last year, the Guardian reported.
The IPC in its report on Gaza has said that the three conditions necessary for declaring a famine have been met. These are: lack of food in at least 20% households, acute malnutrition in at least 30% of the child population and two deaths per 10,000 everyday “due to outright starvation”.
“As of 15 August 2025, Famine (IPC Phase 5) – with reasonable evidence – is confirmed in Gaza Governorate. After 22 months of relentless conflict, over half a million people in the Gaza Strip are facing catastrophic conditions characterised by starvation, destitution and death. Another 1.07 million people (54 percent) are in Emergency (IPC Phase 4), and 396,000 people (20 percent) are in Crisis (IPC Phase 3),” IPC said.
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“This famine is entirely man-made, it can be halted and reversed,” the report says. “The time for debate and hesitation has passed, starvation is present and is rapidly spreading. There should be no doubt in anyone’s mind that an immediate, at-scale response is needed. Any further delay – even by days – will result in a totally unacceptable escalation of famine-related mortality.
If a ceasefire is not implemented to allow humanitarian aid to reach everyone in the Gaza Strip, and if essential food supplies and basic health, nutrition and [sanitation and water] services are not restored immediately, avoidable deaths will increase exponentially,” the report said.
Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said that the famine declared by a UN-backed body in parts of northern Gaza is a "direct result of actions taken by the Israeli government."
He added that "it is a war crime to use starvation as a method of warfare."
The IPC had warned of a famine scenario in Gaza in July but had not made an official declaration due to lack of data.
“Immediate, large-scale, unobstructed multi-sector humanitarian assistance is needed to avert further destitution, starvation and death,” the IPC said, urging for “urgent, comprehensive and sustained action to end the swiftly deteriorating and ever-expanding humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip”.
Israel has denied the IPC assessment of famine, saying the report was based on "methodological flaws" and "unreliable sources."
With inputs from DW.
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