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The keys to the UN naming famine in Gaza

In recent weeks, more than 200 deaths from hunger have been recorded as a result of the blockade of food aid and other basic supplies by the Israeli Government since the beginning of March. However, in order for the UN to be able to officially declare a famine situation, certain conditions must be met.

GAZA (PALESTINA), 11/08/2025.- Fotografía tomada el 11 de julio en la ciudad de Gaza de Nour Al-Shaer, de ocho meses de edad, con desnutrición grave, que es examinada por una enfermera de MSF. La ONU confirmó hoy por primera vez de forma oficial algo que venían semanas alertando: que los palestinos de la Franja de Gaza sufren hambruna y que un total de 1,6 millones de los casi 2 millones de gazatíes padecen hambre. EFE/MSF/Nour Alsaqqa -SOLO USO EDITORIAL/SOLO DISPONIBLE PARA ILUSTRAR LA NOTICIA QUE ACOMPAÑA (CRÉDITO OBLIGATORIO)-

What the UN has been warning for weeks has been officially confirmed today for the first time: that there is famine in the Gaza Strip and that 1.6 million of the nearly 2 million Gazatis are hungry.

"We are facing a famine that will persecute us all, because it is foreseeable and avoidable, famine caused by cruelty, justified by revenge, driven by indifference and supported by complicity," said UN Deputy Secretary-General Tom Fletcher.

More than 200 deaths from food shortages have been recorded in recent weeks in Gaza since the Israeli Government put an end to the truce that lasted about a month 2 since the beginning of March, a demonstration that has blocked almost all food aid and other basic supplies. 

Not only the images coming from Gaza, but the accusations and reports of NGOs show an obvious and undeniable reality. However, three conditions must be met for the UN to officially declare a state of famine.

On the one hand, to consider a famine as such, it is necessary that at least one in five households lack food, which means that 20% of families in Gaza today have a terrible food shortage or are almost starving to death.

On the other hand, for famine to be declared, it must be objectified that at least 30% of children between the ages of 6and 5 have acute malnutrition, depending on a measurement of weight and size, or that 15% of that age group have acute malnutrition according to the circumference of their arm.

Finally, mortality is considered to be famine when at least two adults or four children under the ageof 5 die each day from malnutrition or the interaction between hunger and disease. 

According to the report published by the Integrated Classification of Food Security (CIF), it is "plausible" that the situation of famine (phase 5) in and around Gaza City (the largest population area) has been reached; in the south, Khan Yunis and Deir el Balah would be in a state of emergency (phase 4).

This means that 1.6 million Gazatis suffer from hunger, one third of which (more than half a million) suffer critically from lack of food, while the rest of the population is in "food crisis."

(We're working to complete the information.)

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