UN warns of worsening Gaza famine as humanitarian crisis deepens
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The UN World Food Programme has confirmed famine is under way in Gaza, where aid restrictions have left civilians starving.
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Palestinians struggle to get donated food at a community kitchen in Gaza City, northern Gaza Strip, Saturday, August 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
The director of the UN World Food Programme, Cindy McCain, confirmed that famine in Gaza is already underway, warning that the humanitarian situation in Palestine has reached catastrophic levels.
“It is very evident there isn’t enough food in Gaza,” McCain told the Associated Press during a visit earlier this week. “I personally met mothers and children who were starving in Gaza. It is real and it is happening now.”
Her remarks echoed the recent declaration by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, which reported widespread famine in the besieged territory.
McCain said she raised the issue directly with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who claimed to be “concerned” about the situation. Netanyahu has consistently denied the existence of famine in Gaza, dismissing reports as propaganda spread by Hamas.
“We agreed that we must immediately redouble our efforts to get more humanitarian aid in. Access and security for our convoys is critical,” McCain said.
Despite this, Netanyahu’s government has imposed severe restrictions on aid, with charities reporting ongoing obstructions in the collection and distribution of food. Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed while attempting to reach convoys.
Siege and collective punishment
In March and April, Gaza was placed under a total siege, with no food or basic supplies allowed to enter. "Israel" framed this measure, widely seen as a collective punishment of civilians and forbidden under international law, as a tactic to pressure Hamas into releasing captives.
In mid-May, under international pressure over what was already described as a “starvation crisis,” Netanyahu announced the partial resumption of shipments. However, humanitarian groups stress that the volume of aid has always been woefully inadequate for Gaza’s 2.3 million people.
The inadequate flow of aid has left Gaza on the brink of total collapse. Starvation and disease are spreading, and aid organizations warn of long-term devastation if restrictions continue.
McCain emphasized that the world must act urgently, saying, “We must immediately redouble our efforts to get more humanitarian aid in. It is a matter of life and death for the people of Gaza.”
