The reports coming out of Gaza lately are dire: The territory is spiraling toward a full-scale famine as Israel’s total siege of the territory stretches into its fourth month. Israel’s bombing campaign has destroyed not only homes, schools, and hospitals but also Gaza’s farming fields and other agricultural infrastructure.
Parents in Gaza are often going hungry so that their children can eat what little is available — and sometimes the only option is animal feed or grass, according to recent reports. The high risk of severe malnutrition carries long-lasting consequences for children in particular, such as physical and cognitive impairment, said Michael Fakhri, the U.N. special rapporteur on the right to food.
Based on an assessment carried out in November and early December by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, or IPC, they project that for the period of Dec. 8 through Feb. 7, Gaza’s entire population of some 2.2 million people would face crisis levels of hunger, with 1 in 4 households facing famine. “This is the highest share of people facing high levels of acute food insecurity that the IPC initiative has ever classified for any given area or country,” it noted.
About the author
Tania Karas@TaniaKaras
Tania Karas is a Senior Editor at Devex, where she edits coverage on global development and humanitarian aid in the Americas. Previously, she managed the digital team for The World, where she oversaw content production for the website, podcast, newsletter, and social media platforms. Tania also spent three years as a foreign correspondent in Greece, Turkey, and Lebanon, covering the Syrian refugee crisis and European politics. She started her career as a staff reporter for the New York Law Journal, covering immigration and access to justice.
