Gaza Famine Catastrophe Deepens: Over 450 Deaths Reported as UN Warns of Unimaginable Crisis

The humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza has reached an alarming new level, with the health ministry reporting on October 1, 2025, that 455 Palestinians, including 151 children, have died from malnutrition or starvation since the onset of the conflict. This grim toll includes 177 deaths since the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) confirmed famine conditions on August 15.

A report published in August by the IPC, an expert panel assessing global food insecurity, declared a “man-made” famine across parts of Gaza, projecting that nearly a third of the territory’s population would face famine conditions by the end of September. This assessment has intensified international outcry over Israel’s ongoing campaign, which began after the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attacks.

UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, Michael Fakhri, reiterated his accusation from August 28 that Israel is using hunger “as a weapon against Palestinians,” a charge Israel vehemently denies. Israeli authorities have rejected the IPC’s findings as “false” and “biased,” insisting they have stepped up aid entry and do not pursue a policy of starvation.

However, aid agencies and rights workers report that Israel’s intensified military operations, particularly around Gaza City, continue to severely impede relief efforts. A September 11 report by US Senators Chris Van Hollen and Jeff Merkley accused Israel of “collective punishment” and deliberately restricting humanitarian assistance, a claim Israel also denies.

The distribution of aid remains fraught with peril. The UN reported on September 10 that 1,172 people were killed near “militarized supply sites” and another 1,084 deaths occurred along convoy routes between May 27 and September 9. Critics also highlight that alternative aid delivery methods, such as private contractor-run sites and air drops, are often inaccessible and expose Palestinians to injury or death.

With only 1.5% of cropland accessible and undamaged as of July 28, and a continued fishing ban, local food sources have been decimated. Arif Husain, chief economist at the World Food Programme, warns that further escalation, especially in Gaza City, could push the situation into an “unimaginable catastrophe,” destroying any hope for future recovery and leading to more deaths.

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