The United Nations has formally acknowledged that a full-scale famine has begun in the besieged Gaza City and its surrounding areas. UN Secretary-General António Guterres described the crisis as a “man-made catastrophe, a moral outrage, and a failure of humanity.”
“Famine is not only about food—it is the deliberate collapse of systems necessary for human survival. People are starving. Children are dying. And those who have the responsibility to act are failing,” Guterres said, stressing that Israel, as the occupying power, holds an “undeniable obligation” to ensure the supply of food and medicine under international law.
The UN’s Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) has officially declared famine, reporting that more than 500,000 Palestinians are suffering from extreme hunger, starvation, and life-threatening conditions.
Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), warned that months of alerts had been ignored. “Now that famine has been confirmed in Gaza City and surrounding areas, it is time to show political will to end it. No more excuses. The time to act is not tomorrow—it is now,” he urged.
UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher condemned the use of hunger as a weapon of war, noting that some Israeli leaders have openly justified famine. He called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to halt retaliatory actions and immediately open Gaza’s crossings for unrestricted humanitarian aid.
Meanwhile, Gaza’s Health Ministry reported that in the past 24 hours, Israeli strikes killed 71 people and wounded 251 others across the enclave. Of the dead, 37 were killed in Gaza City alone. The ministry also confirmed that two Palestinians died of starvation.
