Introduction

A famine has been officially declared in Gaza City, marking a grim milestone in what humanitarian agencies are now calling one of the most acute humanitarian collapses of the 21st century. Nearly eleven months into Israel’s military campaign against Hamas, new data shows widespread civilian casualties, infrastructure annihilation, and systemic denial of aid that has left the population in Gaza facing starvation, homelessness, and disease at unprecedented levels.

According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), Gaza City has entered Phase 5: Catastrophe—the highest level of food insecurity—affecting more than 500,000 people, with forecasts rising to 641,000 by September. The declaration marks the first official famine in the Middle East in modern history.

“Failure of Humanity”: Famine and Malnutrition in Gaza

The famine has drawn direct condemnation from international organizations. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres called the crisis a “man-made disaster” and a “failure of humanity.” Aid agencies, including Save the Children UK, warn of a projected 132,000 children under five at risk of severe acute malnutrition by mid‑2026—double previous forecasts.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported 12,000 acutely malnourished children in July 2025 alone—the highest single-month figure on record for Gaza.

“This is no longer a question of access. It’s a question of survival,” said one senior WHO official, who requested anonymity due to security concerns. “Entire communities are collapsing under the weight of enforced deprivation.”

Civilian Deaths Continue to Rise

As of August 20, 2025, Gaza’s Ministry of Health reports 62,122 fatalities and 156,758 injuries since the onset of Israel’s offensive on October 7, 2023. A leaked assessment by Israeli military intelligence, cited by multiple reports, estimates that 83% of those killed are civilians, with only ~8,900 identified as combatants. The figure has not been publicly disputed by Israeli officials.

An independent research team, publishing in The Lancet, places trauma-related deaths at over 70,000, estimating that at least 80% of all fatalities are civilians, the majority being women, children, and the elderly.

With homes, hospitals, and shelters under fire, many of the deceased died from secondary effects: untreated wounds, malnutrition, and exposure. Gaza’s health infrastructure is unable to respond to the scale of need.

Healthcare and Infrastructure Near Total Collapse

The World Health Organization has documented 427 attacks on healthcare facilities between October 2023 and February 2024. Today, only 6% of Gaza’s hospitals remain fully functional. Of the original network, just 19 hospitals are still operating, many without regular electricity or basic supplies.

According to reports compiled by the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), over 90% of Gaza’s population—approximately 1.9 million people—are now internally displaced. The winter of 2024–25 saw the destruction of around 110,000 tents, further displacing those already without permanent shelter.

Estimates from multiple sources indicate that 60% of residential structures and 80% of commercial buildings have been rendered unusable. Sanitation systems are failing, clean water access is restricted to only one-third of the population, and electricity generation has fallen by 90%.

“The entire support system of life has collapsed,” said a humanitarian engineer with UNRWA. “Roads, hospitals, sewage systems—none of it works anymore.”

Gaza’s Economic Ruin

The economic fallout has been just as staggering. According to estimates reported by The Guardian, Gaza’s GDP fell by 83% in 2024, while the broader Palestinian economy contracted by nearly 27%.

Unemployment now stands at ~80%, and a staggering 98% of Gaza’s population is living in multidimensional poverty, a metric that includes lack of access to health, education, housing, and income.

The World Bank estimates the total reconstruction cost at $53 billion, with at least $20 billion urgently needed to restore essential systems. Physical damage alone is valued at $29.9 billion.

“It’s not just the destruction—it’s the loss of a functioning society,” said an economic advisor to the Palestinian Authority. “There’s no commerce, no labor market, no schooling. Gaza is not just broken—it’s hollowed out.”

Blocked Aid and Growing Accusations

Efforts to deliver humanitarian relief have been repeatedly hampered by logistical failures, looting, and military restrictions. While approximately 54,000 metric tons of food have been delivered since October 2023, a significant share has failed to reach civilians.

In August alone, over 12,000 metric tons of aid were reportedly blocked, looted, or delayed, according to multiple reports including The Guardian. Humanitarian convoys face routine threats, and distribution networks have fractured amid lawlessness and infrastructure collapse.

Several U.N. human-rights experts have suggested that the blockade and obstruction of aid delivery may constitute a war crime under international law.

Israel has denied these allegations, calling the famine declaration “politically motivated.” Officials argue that Hamas has diverted aid and used civilians as human shields, while reiterating the right to defend itself against terrorism.

“The claim of deliberate starvation is a distortion,” said a spokesperson for the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “We are conducting military operations against a designated terrorist organization, not a population.”

Yet for those on the ground, distinctions have grown meaningless. “It’s not about intent anymore,” said a field coordinator with Médecins Sans Frontières. “It’s about outcome. And the outcome is that people are starving, bleeding, and dying without help.”

The Road Ahead: A Recovery Without a Roadmap

With reconstruction costs mounting, and geopolitical stalemates persisting, experts warn that Gaza’s recovery could take a decade or longer, even under ideal conditions.

“There is no plan, no roadmap, no agreement on what post-war Gaza even looks like,” said a regional analyst at the Carnegie Middle East Center. “The longer that vacuum exists, the more entrenched the humanitarian catastrophe becomes.”

In the absence of a ceasefire or coordinated rebuilding plan, aid agencies continue to operate in triage mode. Makeshift field clinics have replaced hospitals. Food distribution points are overrun. Sanitation services are improvised. For many Gazans, survival is measured in days, not months.

“The famine isn’t coming—it’s here,” said the director of an international relief organization. “And without immediate, unfettered access, tens of thousands more could die before the world decides to act.”