Starvation looms for one in five people in Gaza, say food security experts

Gazans remain at “critical risk of famine,” UN-backed food security experts warned on Monday, a full 19 months since war began with Israel and 70 days since deliveries stopped of all aid and commercial supplies.

“Goods indispensable for people’s survival are either depleted or expected to run out in the coming weeks…The entire population is facing high levels of acute food insecurity,” said the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) platform.

Prices have soared for basics such as a 25 kilogramme sack of wheat flour, which now costs between $235 and $520, representing a 3,000 per cent price spike since February.

“In a scenario of a protracted and large-scale military operation and continuation of the humanitarian and commercial blockade, there would be a critical lack of access to supplies and services that are essential to survival,” the IPC said.

Guterres Voices Alarm

UN Secretary-General António Guterres said he was alarmed by the findings, especially that most children are now facing extreme hunger.

The World Food Programme (WFP) and children’s agency, UNICEF, warned that hunger and malnutrition have intensified sharply since all aid was blocked from entering on 2 March.

WFP chief Cindy McCain said families are starving while the food they need is sitting at the border. “It’s imperative that the international community acts urgently to get aid flowing into Gaza again,” she said. “If we wait until after a famine is confirmed, it will already be too late for many people.”

Aid partners on the ground in Gaza report that the number of hot meals served by those community kitchens that are still operating is declining very quickly. Today, about 260,000 meals have been prepared and delivered across the Gaza Strip.

That marks a decrease compared to 840,000 meals last Wednesday – a 70 per cent reduction of 580,000 daily meals in just five days.