The United Nations on Friday formally declared a famine in Gaza, warning that more than half a million people are facing “catastrophic” levels of hunger, in what officials described as the first famine ever recorded in the Middle East.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres, speaking shortly after the announcement, said the situation cannot be allowed to continue unchecked.
“We cannot allow this situation to go on without accountability,” Guterres stressed. “We need an immediate ceasefire, the immediate release of all hostages, and full, unhindered humanitarian access.”
The declaration came after months of mounting warnings about the collapse of food security in the Palestinian territory. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), based in Rome, confirmed that Gaza City — covering about 20 percent of the enclave — is now experiencing famine.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk warned that deliberately starving civilians is prohibited under international law.
“Starving people for military purposes constitutes a war crime,” Türk said.
Meanwhile, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher said the famine could have been avoided entirely if Israel had not systematically blocked the entry of food aid into Gaza.
“This is a moment of collective shame,” Fletcher told reporters in Geneva. “This famine could have been prevented if we had been allowed to act. Food supplies are piling up at the border due to systematic obstruction by the Israeli occupation. This should trouble us all.”
The UN’s unprecedented declaration highlights the depth of Gaza’s humanitarian crisis after months of conflict, with aid agencies warning that the lives of hundreds of thousands hang in the balance unless urgent steps are taken.
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