United Nations declares famine in northern Gaza

The United Nations on Friday formally declared a famine in northern Gaza, the first ever confirmed in West Asia.

The famine conditions are predicted to spread from the Gaza Governorate to the Deir Al Balah and Khan Younis regions of the besieged Palestinian territory in the coming weeks, the UN cited a new Integrated Food Security Phase Classification analysis as saying in a statement.

More than half a million people in the region are trapped in famine conditions, marked by widespread starvation, destitution and preventable deaths, it added.

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification is a standardised tool that combines data on food security, nutrition and livelihoods to assess the severity of crises and guide response.

“Classifying famine means that the most extreme category is triggered when three critical thresholds, extreme food deprivation, acute malnutrition and starvation-related deaths, have been breached,” the UN said.

Israel’s military offensive in Gaza began in October 2023 after the Palestinian militant group Hamas killed 1,200 persons during its incursion into southern Israel and took hostages. Israel has been carrying out unprecedented air and ground strikes on Gaza since then, leaving more than 62,000 persons dead.

Tel Aviv has enforced a blockade on humanitarian aid, which the UN previously said had brought the population to the brink of famine.

In July alone, more than 12,000...

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