UN Declares Famine in Gaza for the First Time Amid Israeli Blockade, Israel Disputes Report
The United Nations (UN)-backed Integrated Food Phase Classification (IPC) has declared, for the first time, a famine in Gaza City and its surrounding areas. The IPC has raised its classification for Gaza Governorate to Phase 5, the highest level, characterized by starvation, destitution, and death. Israel has rejected the report, referring to it as biased
and based on Hamas lies.
Background of the Crisis
The IPC report, released on a Friday, confirmed that famine was taking place in an area of Gaza home to around 500,000 displaced Palestinians. The global hunger monitor had previously warned that famine was imminent across Gaza but had not made a formal declaration. Additionally, it has been reported that another 1.07 million people, or 54 percent of Gaza's population, are classified as under Phase 4.
International Response and Israel's Rejection
The report's findings have been met with varying responses from the global community and the involved parties. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres described the famine as a man-made disaster
and a failure of humanity.
He stressed that the famine is not only about food but also the deliberate collapse of systems needed for human survival, adding that Israel, as the occupying power, has clear obligations under international law, including ensuring food and medical supplies for the population.
Conversely, Israel has disputed these findings. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed the UN-backed report as an outright lie. The Israeli government has argued that the data used in the report was provided by Hamas and that the report ignored and fabricated crucial data.
Gaza's Perspective
Hamas, on the other hand, has affirmed the importance of the UN’s report, despite it being issued after long months of warnings.
The movement called for an early opening of all checkpoints on the border with the enclave and ensuring food, water, drug, and fuel deliveries.
Implications and Reactions
The famine declaration in Gaza has stirred international reactions and debates around the Israeli blockade's impact on the region's food security. Israel's policies have been accused of systematically obstructing food from entering Gaza, contributing to the current famine.
Current Status
Despite the different narratives, the UN-backed IPC report reflects a dire situation in Gaza, with a significant portion of the population facing famine. The IPC projects that the same classification could be extended to Deir al-Balah in central Gaza and Khan Younis in the south by the end of September. The ongoing dispute over the report's findings and the blockade's role in the crisis further exacerbates the precarious situation for Gaza's residents.