In mid-2025, the humanitarian situation inGaza Striphas reached a dramatic level of hunger crisis that affects almost a third of the population of this enclave.
The Disasters of War
According to the latest World Food Programme (WFP) reports and the International Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) classification from May to the end of September 2025, the entire Gaza Strip is at the level of"Sudden Accident"(IPC 4) and about 470 000 people, or about 22% of the population, experience the stage"Catastrophe"(IPC 5), meaning extreme hunger and life-threatening situation.
For several months now, over90 000 women and childrenrequires immediate nutritional assistance and malnutrition is rapidly increasing. Severe malnutrition treatment centres are overcrowded, and the number of deaths due to hunger and malnutrition increases every day. Local medical authorities in Gaza report hundreds of deaths of starvation, including dozens of children, as confirmed by the trend reported by the UN and humanitarian organisations.
The cause of the disastrous situation is the total blockade of the Gaza Strip imposed by the Israeli Government, which effectively prevents the free movement of food, medicines, water, fuel and other necessary measures. Although tons of food and water lie in warehouses at both borders and within the Zone, humanitarian organizations do not have access to them, which further exacerbates the suffering of the population.
War Crimes
More than 100 international NGOs, including doctors without Borders, Amnesty International and Oxfam, are alerting about the impending famine disaster and calling on the international community to immediately open the border crossings, lift the blockade and allow the mass delivery of humanitarian aid. Organisations stress that using hunger as a method of combat isWar Crime.
According to UN data from May 2025over 1000 Palestinianswas fatally shot during attempts to obtain food, and many people die on routes and at humanitarian aid distribution points, which further exacerbates the tragic situation.
In recent days Israel has partially agreed to the so-called. humanitarian breaks, or short-term periods during which a limited amount of food and medical assistance may be provided to the Gaza Strip. However, they are insufficient in relation to needsover two million inhabitantsThis area.
There is not only hunger in the Gaza Strip, but also a health crisis, with the spread of diseases such as acute diarrhoea, lack of access to clean water and medicines, as well as negligence in basic health care. The markets are empty and people faint on the streets due to hunger and dehydration.
International leaders, including UN Secretary General António Guterres, define this situation as a moral crisis and call for swift political action to complete the blockade and immediate access to assistance to avoid further unprecedented humanitarian casualties and disasters.
Netanyahu on the situation in Gaza
Benjamin Netanjahu, Israeli Prime Minister in 2025, has repeatedly referred to the situation in the Gaza Strip, including the humanitarian crisis and food shortage. His statement shows that Israel maintains the Gaza blockade for security reasons, explaining that these actions aim to protect Israeli citizens from threats from armed groups operating in Gaza, such as Hamas. At the same time, Netanyahu and the Government of Israel, while declaring concern for the fate of civilians, point to the need to carry out military action against groups considered terrorist and deny responsibility for the wide humanitarian crisis, blaming Hamas for the use of civilians as "living shields".
