UN-linked group released on Tuesday a report that finds no famine in Gaza, disproving previous assumptions but highlighting ongoing risk.
A recent report from the main Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) organization has confirmed that there is no famine in Gaza at the moment, even though they had previously anticipated a severe famine occurring between March and July 2024.
The recent study found that predictions regarding the volume of food entering the region were incorrect, as food supplies to Gaza actually rose rather than decreased in the past months. The new report concludes that based on the evidence at hand, there is no indication of a current famine taking place in Gaza.
This recent study disputes earlier assertions that Gaza was on the brink of a famine and widespread starvation. The IPC discovered that the quantity of food coming into Gaza has risen since March, when it anticipated an impending famine. It also decreased the number of Gazans categorized in phases four and five of its hunger scale.
While the report acknowledged a "high risk of famine," it did not find mortality data to substantiate that famine levels of starvation deaths had been reached. The IPC also revised downward its earlier assessments of food insecurity severity in Gaza: it halved the percentage of the population classified as Catastrophe (Level 5) from 30% to 15%, and reduced by a quarter those categorized as Emergency (Level 4) from 39% to 29%.
This report holds significant implications, particularly in international legal contexts where allegations of famine in Gaza have been linked to accusations against Israel, including that of the International Court of Justice who have made famine in Gaza central in their claims against Israel. The IPC's credibility as a neutral assessor of famine risks globally is underscored by its connection to the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization.
Meanwhile, Israeli authorities responsible for aid distribution in Gaza have maintained that sufficient aid is being provided to meet the nutritional needs of the population.