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Gaza: Starvation Looms for One in Five People, Say Food Security Experts
NEW YORK/GAZA, 12 May 2025 – More than 18 months into the devastating crisis in the Gaza Strip, leading food security experts are issuing a stark warning: approximately one in every five people in the territory is now facing the imminent risk of starvation.
The alarming assessment, released today by a consortium of international bodies tracking food insecurity, paints a grim picture of a population pushed to the brink. Their report indicates that severe conditions, including widespread lack of food, clean water, and healthcare, have created a catastrophic humanitarian situation where starvation is not just a possibility, but a looming threat for a significant portion of the population – roughly 20%.
This figure represents hundreds of thousands of people trapped in a cycle of hunger and deprivation. Experts point to persistent obstacles hindering the entry and distribution of humanitarian aid as a primary driver of this crisis. Despite repeated international calls for increased access, the flow of essential supplies, including food, medicine, and fuel, remains insufficient and unpredictable.
The ongoing hostilities and their profound impact on civilian life have decimated local capacity to produce or acquire food. Farms have been destroyed or are inaccessible, fishing is virtually impossible, and essential infrastructure like bakeries and markets have been severely damaged. Furthermore, the mass displacement of people has forced families into overcrowded shelters and informal settlements with minimal resources, making it incredibly difficult for them to meet their basic needs.
Food security classifications, often using scales like the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), categorize the severity of hunger. While the specific phase classification for the 20% is not explicitly detailed in the headline, “looming starvation” typically corresponds to Phase 5 (Catastrophe/Famine), or very severe Phase 4 (Emergency) conditions on the brink of collapse. This means people are experiencing an extreme lack of food, leading to malnutrition, starvation, and death.
Children are particularly vulnerable. Aid workers on the ground have consistently reported alarming rates of malnutrition among infants and young children, with long-term consequences for their health and development. The lack of clean water and sanitation further exacerbates the crisis, contributing to the spread of diseases that malnourished bodies struggle to fight off.
Humanitarian organizations reiterate their urgent pleas for an immediate and sustained cessation of hostilities to allow for safe and unfettered access for aid delivery across the entire Gaza Strip. They stress the critical need for more entry points for aid, simplified inspection procedures, and guaranteed safety for aid workers and civilians seeking assistance.
The experts’ warning serves as a critical alarm bell, highlighting the dire consequences of the prolonged crisis and the urgent need for a political solution to ensure the protection and survival of the civilian population in Gaza. Without a fundamental change in the situation on the ground and a massive, sustained increase in aid, the number of people facing starvation is expected to rise.
Gaza: Starvation looms for one in five people, say food security experts
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At 2025-05-12 12:00, ‘Gaza: Starvation looms for one in five people, say food security experts’ was published according to Top Stories. Please write a detailed article with related information in an easy-to-understand manner. Please answer in English.
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