Gaza Famine Kills 185 in August, 13 More in 24 Hours
Gaza’s Health Ministry said 185 people died due to malnutrition in August; 13 more died within the next 24 hours, including three children.
The Health Ministry in Gaza confirmed that 185 people died of malnutrition in August, with an additional 13 deaths reported within 24 hours, underscoring the deepening humanitarian catastrophe. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) declared a famine in parts of Gaza in late August, warning that the number of people facing starvation will rise further by the end of September.
UN Famine Declaration And Warnings
The IPC’s August 22 report stated that nearly a quarter of Gaza’s population is already facing famine, with conditions expected to spread to Deir el-Balah and Khan Younis by the end of September. This marks the first famine declaration outside Africa in the group’s history. Following the announcement, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called the crisis “a moral indictment and a failure of humanity itself,” stressing Israel’s legal responsibility as an occupying power to ensure food and medicine reach the enclave.
Rising Hunger Deaths And Malnutrition
The total death toll from hunger since the start of the war in October 2023 has climbed to 361, including 130 children. Authorities reported that 43,000 children under five suffer from malnutrition, while more than 55,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women are at risk. Two-thirds of pregnant women are anaemic, the highest rate recorded in years, making mothers and newborns especially vulnerable.
Aid Blockade And Ongoing Attacks
The famine declaration comes after months of war during which Israeli forces destroyed bakeries, schools, medical facilities, and infrastructure, while blocking aid deliveries. Reports also noted Palestinians being targeted while seeking food assistance. On Tuesday alone, 63 people were killed in attacks, 41 of them in Gaza City, with 19 identified as aid seekers in central and southern parts of the Strip.