Middle East UN Confirms Famine in Gaza City, Condemns 'Man-Made Disaster'

[webfact]

PIcture courtesy of WHO

 

UN Chief Antonio Guterres has blasted the famine in Gaza City as a "failure of humanity." A UN-backed body raised Gaza’s food insecurity status to the severest level possible—Phase 5—amidst harrowing conditions labelled as "catastrophic" by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC). With more than half a million teetering on the brink of starvation, the situation has ignited fierce debates on the international stage.

 

The IPC’s alarming findings have been dismissed by Israel as an "outright lie," maintaining its stance that no starvation is occurring in the region. This stark denial comes amidst claims from over 100 humanitarian bodies and even some of Israel's allies, including the UK, directly contradicting Israel’s assertions. The UN points the finger at Israel for restricting aid flow into Gaza, a claim Israel vehemently denies.

 

At the heart of the crisis are the dire predictions for Gaza’s populace. From mid-August to late September, nearly a third of the population is expected to endure catastrophic conditions, while the number facing emergency conditions could rise to 1.14 million. Looking ahead to 2026, malnutrition threatens 132,000 children under the age of five, painting a terrifying picture for Gaza’s future.

 

First-hand accounts from Gaza paint a bleak picture. Reem Tawfiq Khader, a mother of five, lamented the famine announcement's tardiness, emphasising the scarcity of basic nutrients. Another resident, Rida Hijjeh, described her daughter’s severe weight loss as a direct result of the famine, reported the BBC.

 

UN aid chief Tom Fletcher lambasted the situation as preventable, blaming Israel’s "systematic obstruction" for obstructing food supplies to Gaza. This sentiment was echoed by several UN figures, including Philippe Lazzarini and Volker Turk, who decried the crisis as a manifestation of deliberate policies.

 

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy labelled the crisis a "moral outrage," pointing to Israel’s refusal to allow adequate aid into Gaza, a statement echoed by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who condemned the situation as a "man-made disaster". Despite Israel's claims of facilitating aid, critics argue that efforts are insufficient and misdirected.

 

IIsrael continues to face international criticism regarding the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Although some aid drops have occurred, these actions have drawn criticism regarding their safety and effectiveness, further fuelling the debate. Amidst the chaos, the UN warned that current aid levels are far from sufficient to prevent widespread starvation.

 

The situation unfolds as Israel readies a new military offensive in Gaza, following a Hamas-led attack in October 2023 that sparked the ongoing conflict. Since then, the humanitarian toll has been staggering, with displacement, destruction, and collapse of critical systems, turning Gaza’s fate into a global concern.

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza remains a focal point for international debate, demanding urgent attention and action from all parties involved.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from BBC 2025-08-23

 

[Middle Aged Grouch]

Wow. The european union and US clowns took a few days to apply all the pre prepared sanctions against Russia ,but on the horror going on in Gaza for far to long, the UN is only waking up a bit now ? This plainly show that the UN is a useless and costly club,  plainly for giving overpaid jobs to all the political cronies from around the world. 

[Captain Flack]

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[dinsdale]

UN Confirms Famine in Gaza City, Condemns 'Man-Made Disaster'

Hamas doesn't care about this. Indeed they're the intigators and are complicit in this by hijacking food convoys. Their fundamentalist ideology cares only about one thing. The destruction of Israel.