Gaza hunger crisis intensifies amid ongoing conflict and aid restrictions. The situation in Gaza remains critical, with widespread hunger and a rising number of deaths linked to malnutrition, according to the World Health Organization and numerous humanitarian agencies. An international food security authority warns of a “worst-case scenario of famine” unfolding in the territory.

Here’s a breakdown of the current situation:

Widespread Hunger and Malnutrition:
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), a global standard for measuring food insecurity, states that Gaza has been on the brink of famine for two years and the situation has dramatically worsened.
Around 470,000 people are facing catastrophic hunger, with the entire population of 2.23 million facing high levels of acute food insecurity.

<><>One in three people are going without food for days, with the proportion of households experiencing extreme hunger doubling between May and July 2025.
In northern Gaza, 81% of households reported poor food consumption in July, a significant increase from 33% in April.

Escalating Deaths: The Palestinian Health Ministry reported 43 deaths due to hunger in the five days leading up to July 23, 2025. As of July 26, 2025, 127 Palestinians have died from malnutrition most were children.

However, according to NBC News, the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza stated on July 31, 2025, that 154 people had died from starvation since the war began, including 89 children. The World Health Organization reported that 63 out of 74 malnutrition-related deaths in Gaza in 2025 occurred in July. The number of malnutrition-related deaths is rapidly increasing.

Children Particularly Vulnerable:
Over 320,000 children under five in Gaza are at risk of acute malnutrition, with thousands suffering from severe acute malnutrition, the deadliest form of undernutrition.
The overall rate of acute malnutrition among screened children increased from 2.4% in February to 6% in June and 8.8% in July.

In Gaza City, acute malnutrition prevalence soared from 4.4% in May to 16.5% in early July, reaching the threshold for famine.

Ten child deaths from severe acute malnutrition were reported in July, increasing the overall death toll reported by partners in 2025 to 17. A severely malnourished child is over ten times more likely to die than a well-nourished peer.

Overwhelmed Hospitals:
Hospitals are overflowing with malnourished patients and are reaching their “breaking point”.
Doctors have reportedly fainted from hunger while trying to treat patients. Nearly 94% of Gaza’s 36 hospitals have been damaged or destroyed.

Dangerous Conditions for Aid Seekers:
Over 1,000 Palestinians have died trying to access food in recent weeks. Distribution sites, some controlled by the Israeli military, have become increasingly dangerous, with reports of shootings and stampedes resulting in mass casualties.

Human Rights Watch reports that Israeli forces at the sites of a new US-backed aid distribution system have routinely opened fire on starving Palestinian civilians, acts that amount to serious violations of international law and war crimes.

Aid Restrictions and Distribution Challenges:
Israel has faced growing international condemnation for its restrictions on aid distribution, with some experts alleging violations of international humanitarian law.
Israel eased some restrictions in May but humanitarian groups say the aid allowed into Gaza isn’t enough.
Distribution is further hampered by security impediments and a breakdown in law and order.

Israel maintains that the restrictions are necessary to prevent Hamas from diverting aid. However, an internal US government review found no evidence of widespread theft by Hamas of US-funded humanitarian aid in Gaza.
Airdrops have been widely criticized by aid groups as insufficient to address the humanitarian crisis and potentially dangerous.

Israel’s Position:
Israeli officials deny the existence of starvation in Gaza and claim that Israel has supplied enough aid.
Israel has announced daily “humanitarian pauses” in military activity in parts of Gaza and the establishment of “secure routes” for aid convoys. However, these measures have been criticized as insufficient and deceptive by Hamas and some aid organizations.
New York Times Controversy:

The New York Times recently published a story detailing children’s starvation in Gaza, including a photograph of a severely malnourished baby. The Times later issued a correction, stating that the baby had a pre-existing medical condition influencing his appearance.

This sparked criticism from pro-Palestinian activists, who accused the Times of downplaying the suffering in Gaza.
The New York Times building was vandalized with red paint and the message “NYT LIES, GAZA DIES”.

The situation in Gaza remains dire, with a growing number of organizations describing it as a looming famine. The international community continues to call for Israel to ease restrictions on aid and for an immediate ceasefire to alleviate the crisis.