A report issued by the United Nations showed that about 345,000 residents of the Gaza Strip will face "catastrophic" hunger this winter, in light of the decline in the flow of humanitarian aid, warning of the risk of famine spreading throughout the Strip.

The report, prepared by UN agencies and non-governmental organizations, indicated that this number is compared to 133,000 people currently classified as suffering from "catastrophic food insecurity."

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report confirmed that increased humanitarian aid during the summer contributed to alleviating the suffering of the people of Gaza, but in September, a smaller amount of commercial and humanitarian supplies were recorded entering the Strip, which raises concerns.

According to projections, the number of people facing catastrophic food insecurity is expected to reach 345,000 people, representing about 16% of Gaza’s population, between November 2024 and April 2025.

The reports said the “sharp decline” in aid entry would significantly impact families’ ability to feed themselves and access basic goods and services.

The economic situation in Gaza has deteriorated, said Arif Husain, WFP's chief economist, with "commercial supplies down, there has been massive displacement, infrastructure destroyed, agriculture collapsed, and people have no money."

Humanitarian aid

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called for the urgent opening of border crossings and the removal of bureaucratic obstacles to ensure the delivery of essential humanitarian aid. He stressed that the current situation, with hunger and the risk of famine in Gaza, is “unacceptable.”

The Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, warned of the risk of famine in the Gaza Strip, which is suffering from widespread destruction due to Israeli military operations.

There are growing concerns that continued Israeli aggression and restricted access to humanitarian aid could lead to the risk of famine in the Gaza Strip. It is also expected that some 60,000 cases of severe malnutrition will be recorded among children between the ages of 6 months and 4 years.

On the other hand, the United States warned Israel that it may freeze part of its military aid estimated at billions of dollars if the delivery of aid to Gaza does not improve within 30 days.

The massacres in the Gaza Strip have been ongoing since October 7, 2023, as the Israeli genocidal war has resulted in more than 141,000 Palestinian martyrs and wounded, in addition to more than 10,000 missing persons, amid massive destruction of the infrastructure.