Published: 6:19pm, 22 Aug 2025Updated: 7:22pm, 22 Aug 2025
The United Nations on Friday officially declared a famine in Gaza, the first in the Middle East, with its experts saying 500,000 people were facing “catastrophic” hunger.
Advertisement
UN aid chief Tom Fletcher said the famine was entirely preventable, saying food could not get through to the Palestinian territory “because of systematic obstruction by Israel”.
But Israel’s foreign ministry immediately hit back, saying “there is no famine in Gaza”.
In a statement, it slammed the report by the Rome-based IPC panel, saying it was “based on Hamas lies laundered through organisations with vested interests”.
UN agencies have for months been warning of the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territory.
Advertisement
In its latest update on Friday, the IPC said “as of 15 August 2025, famine (IPC Phase 5) – with reasonable evidence – is confirmed in Gaza Governorate”, Gaza City, which covers about 20 per cent of the Gaza Strip.