ROME / GAZA — The UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) has delivered a stark warning: nearly one‑third of Gaza’s population is enduring days without food, highlighting an “astonishing” collapse in access to basic sustenance as famine looms.
Famine-Level Crisis Rocks Gaza
Ross Smith, WFP’s Director for Emergency Preparedness and Response, described the hunger situation as unparalleled, saying:
A third of the population are not eating for multiple days in a row” and “a quarter of the population is facing famine‑like conditions
WFP estimates that 470,000 people in Gaza are now in IPC Phase 5—categorised as catastrophic hunger—and demand emergency nutritional treatment, including approximately 90,000 women and children suffering from severe acute malnutrition.
Since March 2, Israel has sealed Gaza’s border crossings, cutting off access to food, medicine, and aid—leaving markets non-functional and bread unaffordable amid price surges.
Humanitarian Corridors Blocked, Hunger Surges
Only about 10 percent of needed aid trucks—over 6,000 per day—have entered Gaza since mid-May. Aid remains stacked at border crossings while Gaza descends deeper into crisis.
WFP Deputy Executive Director Carl Skau detailed harrowing scenes:
Our kitchens are empty… people are dying just trying to get food… a father I met had lost 25 kgs in two months.
Global Alarm Grows
UN Secretary-General António Guterres decried the situation as a “moral crisis,” calling for unhindered humanitarian access and immediate ceasefire.
The UK, France and Germany joined aid agencies in demanding Israel lift the blockade and allow land-based aid delivery; officials condemned airdrops as inadequate and unsafe.
With Famine Looming, Aid Strategy Falters
Many aid experts argue that air drops—previously highlighted as part of emergency response—are not a substitute for large-scale convoys managed by UN agencies. These methods are costly, dangerous, and insufficient given Gaza’s population needs.
Why It Matters
| Crisis Dimension | Key Concern |
|---|---|
| Catastrophic Hunger | Nearly one-third of Gaza’s population is enduring days without food. |
| Famine Thresholds Reached | 470,000 people facing IPC Phase 5 conditions and widespread malnutrition. |
| Aid Access Blocked | Humanitarian trucks blocked; only 10% of needed trucks permitted entry. |
| Aid Strategy Criticized | Airdrops seen as ineffective and unsafe; UN warns for ground delivery. |
| Global Responsibility | UN and aid agencies call for urgent political will to open borders and halt famine. |
