Famine has officially struck parts of Gaza, with 514,000 people facing starvation, a global food security body has confirmed.
Famine has struck parts of Gaza and is expected to spread further within weeks, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) confirmed on Friday.
The report revealed that 514,000 Palestinians – nearly a quarter of Gaza’s population – are experiencing famine, a figure projected to rise to 641,000 by the end of September. The worst-hit area is Gaza City, with other regions including Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis also at risk.
The IPC assessment escalates pressure on Israel to allow more humanitarian aid into the enclave. Israel dismissed the report as “false and biased,” claiming it relied on “partial data from Hamas.”
U.N. human rights chief Volker Türk blamed Israeli government actions for the crisis, warning that starvation deaths could amount to a war crime.
The U.N. and global donors have described the situation as an “unimaginable humanitarian catastrophe” after nearly two years of war between Israel and Hamas militants.
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