In a dire situation, two new food security reports have revealed that months of extreme hunger in Gaza have already led to the deaths of many Palestinians and caused permanent damage to children due to malnutrition. These alarming findings come even before the official declaration of a famine. The US-based famine early warning system network (Fews Net) has suggested that famine may have begun in northern Gaza as early as April.

The reports, conducted by Fews Net and two UN organizations, paint a grim picture of a humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza. More than 1 million people are expected to face death and starvation by mid-July, according to the UN. The collection of data to confirm the presence of a famine has been complicated by the ongoing war, which hinders accurate assessment. However, the focus should not solely be on whether Gaza has officially reached the threshold for declaring a famine, but rather on the devastating toll that food shortages have already exacted on the Palestinian population.

The Fews Net report emphasizes that people are dying of hunger-related causes across Gaza, regardless of whether or not the famine thresholds have been met. The prevalence of acute malnutrition among children is alarmingly high, prompting concerns about irreversible physiological impacts. Loss of life continues to be associated with outcomes nearing the famine thresholds, and if this persists over a prolonged period, the cumulative loss of life may reach levels comparable to or even surpassing those associated with a famine.

Experts from Fews Net, an organization established by the US in the 1980s to warn of impending crises, initially stated that famine was likely unfolding in northern Gaza from April. The term "famine" carries a strict technical definition used by food and emergency aid professionals. This definition requires that three conditions be met: an extreme lack of food affecting 20% of households, acute malnutrition or wasting affecting one-third of children, and a daily death toll from hunger and its complications of two adults or four children for every 10,000 people.

Due to conflict and limited humanitarian access, research to verify the existence of a famine has faced challenges. Israeli authorities control entry into Gaza, requiring military permission for movement, and basic infrastructure such as roads, fuel supply, power, and communications networks are severely compromised. The final report from Fews Net, which took available evidence and known information gaps into account, suggests that all three famine thresholds may have been met or surpassed in northern Gaza, specifically in April.

The departing aid chief of the UN, Martin Griffiths, expressed concern over the lack of efforts to avert the deepening catastrophe in Gaza. Delivering aid has become nearly impossible, he stated, emphasizing the need for open border crossings and unimpeded access to prioritize humanitarian assistance.

The Hunger Hotspots report by the World Food Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organization also highlights the toll that hunger is taking in Gaza, even without an official declaration of famine. It warns that without a cessation of hostilities and increased access, the impact on mortality and the lives of Palestinians, both now and in future generations, will continue to escalate.

While new aid crossings have slightly improved access to food supplies in northern Gaza since May, the crisis worsens in the south following the Israeli military's push into Rafah, which has choked off main entry routes for aid. Tragically, multiple child deaths due to malnutrition have already been reported. Médecins Sans Frontières noted that fighting has intensified in the central part of Gaza, with al-Aqsa hospital overwhelmed by casualties from heavy Israeli airstrikes. The medical system is on the verge of collapse, with at least 70 dead and over 300 wounded individuals seeking treatment.

With the closure of the Rafah crossing to Egypt, severely injured individuals can no longer be medically evacuated. The situation in Gaza is reaching a breaking point, as described by Karin Huster, an MSF medical referent, who witnessed the overwhelming scenes of suffering and the unbearable odor of blood in the ER.

As the food crisis deepens and lives hang in the balance, urgent international action is needed to address the worsening situation in Gaza.