Gaza is facing critical levels of hunger and famine is imminent in parts of the Gaza Strip. Humanitarian aid organizations and international bodies have warned that 14 people have died of hunger over a 24-hour period as of Monday, bringing the total number of deaths from that cause to 147 since Oct. 7, 2023. A recent international report found the “worst-case scenario of famine” is unfolding in Gaza. However, there has been no official determination or declaration of famine, which has led to political sparring about whether one exists.
Humanitarian workers and food security experts told ABC News that an official declaration may not matter because there are no legal obligations from countries or international organizations when a famine is determined, and it is merely a sign that the food insecurity in an area is the worst it can be. A famine determination is very hard to make because it is heavily data-driven. Assessing famine often comes after many lives are lost and people are currently starving, so the importance of taking action before famine is declared cannot be overstated.
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) is a scale used for food security measurement and decision-making. The IPC has five phases of acute food insecurity ranging from minimal/none (Phase 1) to catastrophe/famine (Phase 5). The whole territory of Gaza is currently in Phase 4, which is characterized as an emergency, with half a million people expected to be in Phase 5, or catastrophe, by September 2025.
