The Guardian reports that a quarter of all Palestinians in Gaza are dying of starvation, more than 500 people, and that number is expected to rise to over 640 within six weeks. An indication of the IPC’s accuracy is the fact that, despite strong suspicions about the presence of famine conditions in the far north of Gaza,
The declaration by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) of widespread famine in Gaza should mark a turning point in this struggle. The IPC, which represents a careful study of available data, is recognized as the highest international standard for food crises. Long criticized by humanitarian organizations in other emergencies for being overly cautious, the IPC’s declaration of Level 5 “catastrophic famine” in Gaza is a significant milestone. Famine, according to the IPC’s strict criteria, requires crossing three critical thresholds: extreme food shortages, severe malnutrition, and deaths from starvation, all of which are already evident in Gaza.
The Guardian reports that a quarter of all Palestinians in Gaza are starving to death, more than 500 people, and that number is expected to rise to over 640 within six weeks. An indication of the IPC’s accuracy is the fact that, despite strong suspicions of famine conditions in the far north of Gaza, it has not declared a famine there due to a lack of reliable data available.
Of course, Israel has accused the IPC of being manipulated by Hamas and claims that it is providing sufficient food for Gaza. But this lie is challenged not only by the IPC’s decision, but also by the collection of all available evidence coming from Gaza. Aid agencies, large and small (including Médecins Sans Frontières clinics) have been gathering their data on the growing prevalence of severe malnutrition. Palestinian doctors, journalists and ordinary citizens have recounted days without food, dramatic weight loss and extreme fatigue. The most vulnerable, the young, the elderly and those with pre-existing illnesses have begun to die, as would be expected in a famine situation.
Israel’s response has not been humanitarian. Its representatives and spokespeople have attempted to downplay the deaths, claiming that those who died died of other causes. By preventing foreign media from entering Gaza to report independently, Israel has brought in sympathetic social media “influencers” to reinforce its denials: that the fault lies with Hamas or with the UN’s main aid agency for the Palestinians, Unrwa, which Israel has banned from operating within its territory.
As aid agencies complained in a joint letter earlier this month accusing Israel of “exploiting” aid, Israel’s new rules have hampered their ability to operate. Permits for aid convoys are either nonexistent, irregular, or insufficient. Instead, Israel has shown itself to rely on the private Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, where at some points hundreds of people have been massacred by Israeli fire. Worse, the full-blown famine, as described by the IPC and UN agencies, was entirely preventable. Amid growing warnings in recent weeks and months about the food crisis in Gaza, Israel could have changed its policy at any moment to allow sufficient aid in and to establish a credible mechanism for safe and timely delivery. As a military force controlling 75% of Gaza, it has had an international legal responsibility throughout to ensure this delivery.
The Food and Agriculture Organization, UNICEF, the World Food Program and the World Health Organization said on Friday that they have “collectively and consistently stressed the urgent need for an immediate and large-scale humanitarian response, given the rising deaths from hunger, severe malnutrition and the drastic decline in food consumption.”
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has also been clear. The famine in Gaza is “a man-made catastrophe, a moral outrage and a failure of humanity,” he said, calling for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages held by Hamas, and unrestricted humanitarian access.
“People are starving. Children are dying. And those who have a duty to act are failing. We cannot allow this situation to continue with impunity.” Instead of accepting a ceasefire and allowing for an appropriate emergency response, Israel is threatening a massive new offensive right where the hunger is most concentrated, in Gaza City, that will force up to 1 million Palestinians back into displacement, exhausted, hungry and desperate, without any evidence that Israel has made any significant preparations to cope with this massive movement. As David Miliband, president and director general of the International Rescue Committee, said: “The IRC’s confirmation that all hunger thresholds have been crossed in Gaza City is a grave act that condemns the failure to protect civilians and respect humanitarian law.” The warning signs have been blaring for months. The IRC and others have repeatedly called for urgent action.
“The IPC’s findings should be a wake-up call to the international community. Without immediate humanitarian access and a ceasefire, more lives will be lost to hunger and disease. This is not a natural disaster, it is a man-made disaster, unfolding before the eyes of the world and entirely preventable.” The implication has been made clear by the UN human rights agency: that the famine is a direct result of Israel’s actions and therefore may constitute a war crime.