UN warns famine is imminent in northern Gaza
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The news: The UN food agency has published research that shows “famine is imminent” in northern Gaza where 70% of the population (approximately 210,000 people) is experiencing catastrophic levels of hunger.
The numbers: The region will be categorised as being in famine when 20% of households face and extreme lack of food, 30% of children are suffering from acute malnutrition, and two adults or four children per 10,000 people die each day.
The context: Findings from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report published on Monday say that famine in Gaza's northern areas is projected to occur anytime between mid-March and May 2024.
The entire population in the Gaza Strip (around 2.23 million people) is facing high levels of acute food insecurity. From mid-March to mid-July, the IPC says the most likely scenario (under the assumption of an escalation of the conflict including a ground offensive in Rafah), is that half of the population of the Gaza Strip will be pushed into catastrophic conditions, the most severe level in the IPC Acute Food Insecurity scale.
Between the current and the projection period, around 400,000 more people are expected to slide into conditions of starvation.
The findings come as the US faces growing pressure to increase its aid supplies into Gaza, and to add pressure on Israel to hold elections to remove current leader Benjamin Netanyahu from power.
