Famine in Gaza confirmed by UN-backed body after warnings long-ignored
London, 22nd August– Today’s declaration of famine in Gaza Governorate by the UN’s hunger monitor has been long-forewarned. The international community must act urgently and immediately to avert further catastrophe. The report states plainly: “If an immediate and sustained ceasefire is not implemented to allow humanitarian aid to reach everyone in the Gaza Strip, and if essential food supplies, and basic health, nutrition, and WASH services are not restored immediately, avoidable deaths will increase exponentially.”
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) has assessed that 513,720 Palestinians in Gaza are experiencing the fifth and most severe degree of food insecurity, ‘Catastrophe/Famine’. Of these Palestinians, the IPC’s analysis suggests that 103 adults or 205 children* would be expected to die each day under these Phase 5 famine conditions. Conditions are worst in North Gaza and Gaza City, but famine is projected to spread rapidly through Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah governorates as well. In these areas, another 641,000 people are expected to reach Phase 5 famine conditions by the end of September.
United Nations member states must take the action which is urgently required to ensure that food, medicines, and water are able to enter Gaza – even where this is against the evident designs of the occupying Israeli forces, who are using starvation as a weapon of war. This famine, the first to ever be declared by the IPC outside of Africa, is entirely human-made and could have been averted. It is a direct result of the Israeli siege on Gaza, and the military’s total destruction of agricultural, water, health, and food distribution infrastructure. Israel’s intent to blockade food has been clear since at least 9th October 2023, when then-Defence Minister infamously announced a siege on Gaza, stating: “There will be no electricity, no food, no water, no fuel – everything will be closed.”
While Israel continues to use starvation as a weapon of war, any resolution to catastrophic food insecurity facing Gaza must overcome, rather than appeal to, the Israeli occupation. There is no justification for the failure of the international community, not least by the US, UK, and EU, to prevent Gaza’s famine. If tens-of-thousands of deaths-by-starvation are to be prevented, these States must take urgent and bold action lest they remain complicit in war crimes and crimes against humanity. There are Palestinians in Gaza right now, who will die from malnutrition even if aid is allowed in uninhibited today.
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has the powers, under Article 94(2), to take coercive action to force compliance by Israel with its obligations under provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice. These orders include ensuring compliance with the UN to deliver humanitarian assistance to Gaza. Should the Security Council fail to take the necessary action, the UN Secretary General has the powers to invoke UN Charter Chapter 7 powers to take action, including calling on member states to apply measures such as the complete or partial interruption of economic relations, interruption of rail, sea, air, postal, telegraphic, radio, and other means of communication, and the severance of diplomatic relations. If these prove inadequate, demonstrations, blockade, and other operations by air, sea, or land forces of Members of the United Nations may be used.
Senior Public Affairs and Communications Officer Jonathan Purcell said:
“The IPC’s declaration of famine in Gaza City simply reinforces what we already know – Israel uses starvation as a weapon of war, it is one of its many war crimes.
Starvation is a crucial element of Israel’s genocide, killing Palestinians through hunger as well as bombardment and shootings. Worse still, it is perhaps the most predictable famine in history, with Israeli ministers openly discussing the restriction of food since October 2023. There can be no excuse for the international community’s hand-wringing.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
- The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians is an independent organisation of lawyers, politicians and academics who support the rights of Palestinians and aim to protect their rights through the law.
- For more information, to arrange an interview with a spokesperson, or to view a full copy of the letter, please contact the ICJP news desk at press@icjpalestine.com.
- The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report can be accessed here:
- * Statistics on the numbers facing Phase 5 food insecurity are contained within this report. The report states that under Phase 5 conditions, 2 adults or 4 children would be expected to die each day, equating to 103 adult Palestinians or 205 children.
Photo credit: Ashraf Amra (Wikimedia Commons)
