FAMINE has been declared in Gaza City for the first time by the international body responsible for monitoring world hunger.
The announcement was made by the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) on Friday morning, which is a globally recognised system for classifying the severity of food insecurity and malnutrition.
It comes a day after Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would authorise the military to seize Gaza City, which is believed to have a population of around 500,000 people.
On Thursday, Israeli troops established a foothold on the outskirts of Gaza City, following days of intense bombing and artillery fire.
The IPC has been used to declare just four famines since it was established in 2004, most recently in Sudan last year.
Although the IPC has previously warned famine is imminent in parts of Gaza, it has stopped short of making a formal declaration until now.
The IPC stated that a famine is taking place in the "Gaza Governorate", which comprises Gaza city, three surrounding towns and several refugee camps.
In order to declare a famine, three strict criteria must be met:
- At least 20% of households face an extreme lack of food
- At least 30% of children suffer acute malnutrition
- Two people for every 10,000 die each day due to "outright starvation"
The IPC briefing states: “After 22 months of relentless conflict, over half a million people in the Gaza Strip are facing catastrophic conditions, characterised by starvation, destitution and death."
It adds that based on current projections, famine is expected to expand to the governorates of Deir Al-Balah and Khan Younis by the end of September.
Another 1.07 million people – more than half of Gaza's population – are already facing "emergency" levels of food insecurity.
Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner-general of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) - the primary refugee agency for Palestinians - said the spread of famine was "starvation by design" and was the direct result of Israel banning aid from entering Gaza.
He said in a post on Twitter/X: "Months of warnings have fallen on deaf ears. Famine is now confirmed in Gaza City.
"This is starvation by design & manmade by the government of Israel.
"It is the direct result of banning food & other basic supplies for months including from UNRWA."
Lazzarini added: "The spread of famine can still be controlled by a ceasefire + allowing humanitarian organisations to do their work & reach starving people with aid.
"Time for political will!"
Months of warnings have fallen on deaf ears. #famine is now confirmed in #Gaza city. This is starvation by design & manmade by the Government of Israel. It is the direct result of banning food & other basic supplies for months including from @UNRWA. The spread of famine…
— Philippe Lazzarini (@UNLazzarini) August 22, 2025
It comes as Israel's defence minister has suggested that Gaza City could be destroyed after the country began the first stages of a planned assault on the city.
Israel Katz said that "the gates of hell will open" unless Hamas agrees to Israel's conditions, saying that if they do not agree, Gaza City "will become Rafah and Beit Hanoun", two cities which have been reduced to rubble by Israel's brutal assault on the enclave.
In a post on Twitter/X, Katz said: "We approved yesterday the IDF's plans to defeat Hamas in Gaza – with intense fire, evacuation of residents, and maneuvering.
"Soon, the gates of hell will open upon the heads of Hamas's murderers and rapists in Gaza – until they agree to Israel's conditions for ending the war, primarily the release of all hostages and their disarmament.
"If they do not agree – Gaza, the capital of Hamas, will become Rafah and Beit Hanoun. Exactly as I promised – so it shall be."
Hamas has said that it would release captives in exchange for a full ceasefire, but has rejected disarmament without the creation of a Palestinian state.
