According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, a worst-case scenario of famine is unfolding in the Gaza Strip.

The images are there on our television sets every night and are seen multiple times during the day on our mobile phones. The images in the recently released IPC report brings the extent of this man made Famine into another reality.

The IPC is an organisation that involves global stakeholders to provide food security and nutritional analysis to inform decisions for governments, UN agencies, NGOs and other stakeholders. This information helps identify the severity and extent of acute and chronic food insecurity and acute malnutrition situations according to internationally recognised standards.

In May, a risk of famine was detected by the IPC in all areas of the Gaza Strip. This has now become a reality. That analysis projected that the entire population of Gaza would face high levels of food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above). It also projected that by September 2025, there would be half a million people experiencing food insecurity at the level of catastrophe (IPC Phase 5).

This level is “ characterised by an extreme lack of food, starvation, destitution and death”. The analysis projected that malnutrition would reach Critical levels (IPC Phase 4) in North Gaza, Gaza and Rafah governorates and that “more than 70,000 cases of children under the age of five and 17,000 cases of pregnant and breastfeeding women would face acute malnutrition across the territory”.

Since then, at least 6700 people have been killed taking the estimated death rate to more than 60,000 with more than 325,000 people displaced, and 88% of the territory being placed under evacuation orders by the IDF.

Bombing of critical infrastructure, including hospitals and schools, has intensified and very little humanitarian assistance has entered the Gaza Strip. Many bakeries have been bombed and those that remain are closed, and community kitchens lack the resources to meet urgent food needs.

The American Israeli GHF has grossly heightened the food insecurity with more than 1500 killed while trying to access food from three, sometimes only one, in these highly militarised killing zones. This system also has only provided food items that are not ready to eat and require water and fuel to cook, both of which are largely unavailable. Reaching these zones also requires long, high-risk journeys, and the most vulnerable groups are largely unable to access this aid.

As a result of these situations, food consumption has sharply deteriorated, with one in three individuals going without food for days at a time. Between May and July 2025, the IPC reports that the threshold for Famine, Phase 5, has already been passed for most areas of the Gaza Strip. It also reports that “over 20,000 children have been admitted for treatment for acute malnutrition between April and mid-July, with more than 3000 severely malnourished. Hospitals have reported a rapid increase in hunger-related deaths of children under five years of age”.

The report shows that there is clearly a f unfolding in Gaza, caused deliberately by the Israeli occupation. About 24% of Gaza is now at catastrophic famine level. 50% is at emergency level starvation. The rest, less then 26%, are at crisis level starvation.

From October 2023 the IDF has occupied 88% of the land in Gaza, with displacement orders having been issued since March 2025. The remaining 12% comprises three main cantons now housing a cramped, traumatised and displaced Gazan population of about two million people mostly in living in unhealthy and unhygienic areas.

There needs to be immediate action taken by the world community including Australia, to alleviate this catastrophic situation. The first step should be an immediate ceasefire, followed by the rapid UN-led flow of food, medicines and other necessary goods, and the restoration of basic life-saving services, including water.

This is a man-made famine of which the international community has full knowledge, but to date has only shown moral cowardice in the face of such human catastrophe.

The views expressed in this article may or may not reflect those of Pearls and Irritations.