There is no longer hunger in the Gaza Strip, the UN-backed famine watchdog said on Friday, as humanitarian aid poured into the strip following a ceasefire agreed in October between Israel and Hamas.
The Integrated Food Security Stage Classification (IPC) stated that “the food security situation in the Gaza Strip has improved following a significant reduction in conflict, a proposed peace plan, and improved access to humanitarian and commercial food deliveries.” “No area is classified as famine,” it added.
In August, the world watchdog announced that parts of Gaza were officially suffering from “man-made” famine.
However, the organization noted that despite these improvements, most of Gaza’s population still faces high levels of severe food insecurity.
“Humanitarian assistance, including food aid, is increasing, but only basic survival needs are being met,” the IPC said.
Although Gaza’s classification has changed, the IPC warned that the enclave remains at risk of falling back into famine.
“Under the worst-case scenario, including the resumption of hostilities and the cessation of humanitarian and commercial flows, North Gaza, Gaza Governorate, Deir Al-Balah and Khan Yunis would face the risk of starvation until mid-April 2026,” the report said.
In August, Israel vehemently disputed the existence of famine in the Gaza Strip and said it was doing everything in its power to allow aid to the Strip.
In response to Friday’s IPC report, Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon said, “When faced with the facts, even the IPC has to admit: There is no hunger in Gaza,” adding that “hundreds” of aid trucks enter the Strip every day.
According to the Coordination of Regional Government Activities (COGAT), an Israeli government agency tasked with facilitating aid distribution in Gaza, between 600 and 800 aid trucks enter the Gaza Strip every day, about 70% of them carrying food.
Hamas had previously disputed COGAT’s figures, saying not enough aid was reaching the enclave.
CNN, like other media outlets, has reported extensively on starvation and starvation in Gaza. During the two years of war before the ceasefire, Israel at times restricted or blocked aid from entering the devastated enclave.
Some died of starvation and starvation, while others died trying to receive aid at distribution sites.
August was the first time IPC confirmed famine in the Middle East. Under the IPC system, a five-point scale used to measure the severity of food insecurity, hunger can only be declared if data shows that certain thresholds are met.
At least 20% of all households must face extreme food insecurity, at least 30% of children must be acutely malnourished by anthropometric measurements or 15% of children must be acutely malnourished, and at least 2 in 10,000 people die every day from complete starvation or the interaction of malnutrition and disease.
