In brief
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification reported that after 13 months of conflict, urgent action is required in Gaza to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe.
In a decisive warning, the United Nations-backed panel stated that the risk of famine in the Gaza Strip is now "imminent," just ahead of a mid-November deadline set by the Biden administration for Israel to enhance the delivery of humanitarian supplies. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification highlighted that over a year of warfare has led to a "substantial likelihood of famine" due to the deteriorating conditions in the enclave, which currently struggles to support its 2.2 million residents. Urgent action is recommended "within days, not weeks," following the latest assessments indicating a sharp decline in aid flow since August. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III underscored that the United States may reconsider its military support to Israel should conditions not improve. Aid entering Gaza dropped to its lowest levels since the conflict began, resulting in an overwhelming dependence on limited humanitarian supplies, while Israel's military actions have severely restricted food imports and devastated agricultural sectors, jeopardizing the lives of those in the region and prompting calls for immediate intervention.
