UN Chief: Gaza famine a “failure of humanity”
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has condemned the newly confirmed famine in Gaza as a “failure of humanity,” urging an immediate ceasefire and unrestricted humanitarian access.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has condemned the newly confirmed famine in Gaza as a “failure of humanity,” urging an immediate ceasefire and unrestricted humanitarian access.
A UN-backed report released on August 22 by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) confirmed famine conditions in and around Gaza City—the first such declaration in the region.
The analysis, endorsed by WHO, UNICEF, WFP, and FAO, warns that more than 500,000 people are already starving. By September, famine could spread to 641,000 people across Gaza City, Deir al-Balah, and Khan Younis.
The report highlights the extreme toll on children: over 12,000 acutely malnourished in July, with cases of severe acute malnutrition tripling since May.
By mid-2026, 43,000 children under five and 55,000 pregnant or breastfeeding women could face life-threatening hunger.
UN agencies say the famine is entirely man-made, driven by nearly two years of war, the destruction of Gaza’s croplands and health systems, and restrictions on aid.
Ninety-eight percent of farmland is damaged, food markets have collapsed, and clean water is scarce.