UN Declares First-Ever Famine in the Middle East: Gaza Facing “Catastrophic” Hunger

The United Nations on Friday made an unprecedented announcement, formally declaring a famine in Gaza — the first official famine recorded in the Middle East. UN experts warned that nearly half a million people are enduring “catastrophic” levels of hunger, marking one of the most severe humanitarian crises in the region’s modern history.

Famine Confirmed in Gaza City

The declaration came from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), a Rome-based panel that monitors global hunger. After months of escalating concern and warnings from aid agencies, the IPC confirmed that famine conditions are now present in the Gaza Governorate, which includes Gaza City and accounts for roughly 20 percent of the territory.

According to the panel, prolonged restrictions on food, medicine, and humanitarian access have pushed the population beyond emergency thresholds. Famine classification requires three conditions: at least 20 percent of households face extreme food shortages, 30 percent of children suffer from acute malnutrition, and two people per 10,000 die each day from hunger or related causes. The IPC says all three thresholds have now been met in Gaza City.

“A Preventable Tragedy”

Speaking in Geneva, UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher described the famine as a “stain on our collective conscience.” He criticized what he called “systematic obstruction” of aid convoys at border crossings.

“It is a famine that we could have prevented if we had been allowed. Yet food stacks up at borders because of systematic obstruction by Israel,” Fletcher said. “This is a famine that will and must haunt us all.”

The UN and several aid organizations have reported for months that trucks carrying food and supplies remain stalled at entry points, with limited access into the enclave. Fletcher stressed that the famine is not the result of scarcity of food in the region, but of deliberate barriers preventing it from reaching civilians.

Israel Rejects UN Findings

Israel strongly denied the UN’s conclusions. The foreign ministry released a statement on Friday insisting that no famine exists in Gaza, accusing the IPC and other organizations of relying on “fabricated data.”

“There is no famine in Gaza,” the ministry said, calling the UN report “based on Hamas lies laundered through organizations with vested interests.” Israeli officials argue that they have facilitated aid deliveries and accuse Hamas of diverting food supplies for its own purposes.

Wider Implications

This declaration is significant not only for Gaza but also for the region as a whole. It is the first time the Middle East has been formally identified as experiencing famine under international standards. Humanitarian experts warn that the crisis could worsen rapidly without unrestricted aid access.

International pressure is likely to mount following the announcement, as calls grow for immediate ceasefire agreements and guarantees of safe humanitarian corridors. Analysts suggest that the UN’s famine classification could shift diplomatic dynamics, putting additional weight on negotiations between Israel, Hamas, and international mediators.