GAZA CITY – The United Nations has confirmed that famine conditions in Gaza have been temporarily averted, but millions of residents continue to face extreme hunger and malnutrition.
According to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report, no areas of Gaza are currently classified as being in famine (Phase 5). This follows improved humanitarian and commercial access after the ceasefire agreement reached on 10 October 2025.
Despite this progress, nearly the entire territory remains in emergency conditions (Phase 4). The report highlights that between mid-October and late November, around 1.6 million people, approximately 77 per cent of the population analysed, experienced crisis-level hunger (Phase 3) or worse. Of these, more than 500,000 people were in emergency (Phase 4), while over 100,000 people faced catastrophic hunger (Phase 5).
UN Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the improvement but warned that the situation remains precarious. “Famine has been pushed back. Far more people are able to access the food they need to survive,” he said at UN Headquarters in New York. He cautioned, however, that the gains are “fragile – perilously so,” with more than 75 per cent of Gaza’s population projected to face extreme levels of food insecurity and malnutrition risks.
The IPC analysis projects that through mid-April 2026, around 571,000 people will remain in emergency conditions, while approximately 1,900 individuals are expected to continue facing catastrophe-level hunger. Under a worst-case scenario, such as renewed hostilities or restrictions on aid, the entire Gaza Strip could again fall into famine.
Malnutrition remains a pressing concern, particularly among vulnerable groups. Nearly 101,000 children aged six to 59 months are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition through mid-October 2026, including more than 31,000 severe cases. In addition, around 37,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women are projected to require urgent treatment.
While food aid has increased, humanitarian agencies stress that assistance is only meeting basic survival needs. Health services, water and sanitation systems, housing and livelihoods remain severely damaged, leaving families exposed to further hardship, especially during winter.
“Families are enduring the unendurable,” Mr. Guterres said, describing children sleeping in flooded tents and buildings collapsing under heavy rain. He noted that humanitarian teams are preparing more than 1.5 million hot meals daily, reopening nutrition centres, and restoring water and health services. However, he warned that needs are growing faster than aid delivery.
The UN chief reiterated calls for a “truly durable ceasefire,” urging more crossings into Gaza, fewer restrictions on critical supplies, safe routes within the Strip, sustained funding, and unimpeded humanitarian access.
The IPC report concludes that without sustained and expanded access, continued aid, and the rebuilding of essential infrastructure, Gaza’s food security situation could deteriorate rapidly once again, with devastating consequences for its already traumatised population.
