Gaza no longer In famine after aid influx following ceasefire, Global Hunger watchdog says

Gaza is no longer classified as being in famine after a sharp rise in humanitarian aid deliveries that followed an October ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, according to a United Nations–backed hunger monitoring body.

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) reported that better access for both humanitarian and commercial food supplies, combined with reduced fighting and progress toward a peace plan, has led to improved food security across the Gaza Strip. “No areas are classified in famine,” the IPC said.

In August, the same organization had warned that parts of Gaza were experiencing a “man-made” famine due to severe restrictions on aid and ongoing conflict.

While the IPC’s latest assessment marks a positive shift, it cautioned that the situation remains precarious. “Although humanitarian assistance, including food aid, has increased, only basic survival needs are being met,” the agency stated, emphasizing that most of Gaza’s residents still face high levels of acute food insecurity.

The watchdog also warned that Gaza could relapse into famine if conditions worsen. “Under a worst-case scenario involving renewed hostilities and a halt in humanitarian and commercial inflows, North Gaza, Gaza Governorate, Deir al-Balah, and Khan Younis would face a risk of famine through mid-April 2026,” the IPC said.

Israel has long refuted previous claims of famine in Gaza, insisting that sufficient aid has been permitted into the enclave. Reacting to the latest assessment, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, said the report validates Israel’s stance that “there is no famine in Gaza.”

Israel’s aid coordination office, COGAT, reported that between 600 and 800 aid trucks now enter Gaza daily, with about 70% carrying food. Hamas, however, disputes those figures, arguing that the amount of aid reaching civilians remains inadequate.

Before the ceasefire, international media and humanitarian groups documented widespread hunger and critical shortages across Gaza, reporting that some civilians had died of starvation or were killed in chaotic food distribution scenes.

The IPC classifies food insecurity on a five-phase scale. Famine is declared only when at least 20% of households suffer extreme food shortages, 30% of children are acutely malnourished, and two or more people per 10,000 die daily from hunger or related causes.

While the latest findings show progress, aid officials stress that sustained humanitarian access and lasting peace are vital to prevent a slide back into catastrophe.