By Emeka Blast 
“Gaza City Faces Famine as Israeli Military Campaign Escalates”
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), the world’s leading authority on hunger, officially declared a famine in northern Gaza, including Gaza City, on August 22, 2025, as Israel’s intensified military offensive exacerbates a dire humanitarian crisis. The announcement, described as a “race against time” by the IPC, comes amid relentless Israeli airstrikes and crippling aid restrictions, with over 514,000 people—roughly a quarter of Gaza’s population—facing starvation. The UN and aid agencies warn that without an immediate ceasefire and unrestricted aid, the famine could engulf Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis by September’s end.
The IPC’s report confirms that Gaza has met all three famine thresholds: at least 20% of households face extreme food shortages, 30% of children suffer acute malnutrition, and hunger-related deaths exceed two adults or four children per 10,000 daily. Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry reported 266 starvation deaths, including 112 children, as of August 21, with 28,000 malnutrition cases since April, including 5,000 in July alone. The crisis, labeled “man-made” by UN experts, stems from Israel’s tightened blockade since March 2025 and ongoing bombardments targeting Hamas strongholds, which have killed over 62,000 Palestinians since October 2023, per local health authorities.
Israel’s military, preparing to seize Gaza City, has intensified strikes on neighborhoods like Zeitoun and Sabra, displacing tens of thousands. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a U.S.- and Israel-backed aid system, has been criticized for chaotic distributions, with over 1,000 Palestinians killed near militarized aid sites since May, according to the UN. Israel claims Hamas loots aid, but the IPC and UNRWA counter that only 47% of needed food supplies reach Gaza, with just 320 trucks entering daily against a required 500–600. Wheat flour prices have surged 1,400–5,600% since February, and local food production has collapsed due to conflict damage and a fishing ban.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres called the situation “a reality unfolding before our eyes,” urging an “ocean” of aid to replace the current “trickle.” UNRWA’s Juliette Touma posted on X, “Gaza faces a man-made famine. We need a UN-led system, not chaos. #EndTheAbomination.” Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied starvation claims, asserting 5,000 aid trucks entered Gaza in two months, per Cogat. However, U.S. President Donald Trump, breaking with Netanyahu, acknowledged “real starvation” on August 18, announcing U.S.-led food centers, per NBC News.
Global outrage has mounted, with 27 nations, including the UK and Canada, issuing a joint statement on August 13 warning of an “unimaginable” crisis. The Elders, led by Helen Clark and Mary Robinson, labeled the war an “unfolding genocide” on August 12, citing Israel’s role in causing famine. On X, @AP posted, “Famine grips Gaza’s largest city and will spread without a ceasefire,” while @MarioNawfal noted, “193 starvation deaths since Aug 1, more than the prior 21 months.” Critics like @MOSSADil claim Hamas diverts aid, alleging 87% of trucks are looted, though UN data disputes this.
Hamas accepted a ceasefire proposal on August 17, but Israel’s war cabinet approved a Gaza City takeover, prompting accusations of ethnic cleansing from human rights groups. The Red Cross called the offensive “intolerable,” warning of worsening conditions in a “closed space” where healthcare and food access are collapsing. @ZaqoutMe tweeted, “Israel’s plan: destruction, takeover, starvation—all at once.”
