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In Gaza, mounting evidence of famine and widespread starvation
According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) platform, two out of three famine thresholds have been reached in Gaza: plummeting food consumption and acute malnutrition.
There is mounting evidence that “widespread starvation, malnutrition and disease” are driving a rise in hunger-related deaths, which is the third famine indicator.
“It’s clearly a disaster unfolding in front of our eyes, in front of our television screens,” said Ross Smith, UN World Food Programme (WFP) Director of Emergencies. “This is not a warning, this is a call to action. This is unlike anything we have seen in this century,” he told journalists in Geneva.
No food – for days
The context to the alert is stark: one in three people is now going without food for days at a time, the IPC said. Hospitals are also overwhelmed and have treated more than 20,000 children for acute malnutrition since April. At least 16 children under five have died from hunger-related causes since mid-July.
The alert follows a May 2025 IPC analysis that projected catastrophic levels of food insecurity for the entire population by September. According to the platform’s experts, at least half a million people are expected to be in IPC Phase 5 – catastrophe – which is marked by starvation, destitution, and death.
The crisis is driven by nearly two years of conflict sparked by Hamas-led terror attacks in Israel in October 2023 that left some 1,250 dead and around 450 people taken hostage Heavy fighting has killed more than 59,500 people according to the enclave’s health authorities and destroyed 70 per cent of Gaza’s infrastructure. Echoing aid agencies’ longstanding concerns for non-combatants, the IPC assessment confirmed that displacement is rampant, with safe areas reduced to less than 12 per cent of the entire territory.
Ceasefire now
Gaza has a population of some 2.1 million people and 90 per cent have been displaced, many of them multiple times over. More than 762,500 displacements have been recorded since the end of the ceasefire on 18 March.
Meanwhile, humanitarian access remains severely restricted, with aid convoys frequently obstructed or looted. On Sunday, Israel announced that it would begin daily humanitarian pauses in Gaza. More than 100 trucks of aid reportedly entered on Sunday, but the UN continues to uphold the need to flood Gaza with food, fuel and medicine.
In line with international calls for an end to the war, the IPC platform also calls for an unconditional and immediate ceasefire, unimpeded humanitarian access and the restoration of essential services. Widespread death is imminent without urgent intervention, the report warns.
The food security experts also appealed for the protection of civilians, humanitarian personnel and critical infrastructure including health, water, sanitation, roads and telecommunications networks.
Key Points
Famine is confirmed if all three core thresholds are breached: plummeting food consumption, acute malnutrition and starvation-related deaths. It is extremely difficult to gather robust data on acute malnutrition and related deaths because health systems are “collapsing”, UN agencies WFP and the UN Children’s Fund explained in a joint alert.
Children at risk: More than 20,000 treated for acute malnutrition; 16 deaths reported.
Infrastructure collapse: 70 per cent of Gaza’s infrastructure destroyed.
Displacement crisis: Safe zones now cover less than 12 per cent of the Strip.
For more details on the IPC and its work tracking hunger and famine conditions follow this link:
In Gaza, mounting evidence of famine and widespread starvation
According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) platform, two out of three famine thresholds for food consumption have been breached across most of Gaza, with acute malnutrition levels in Gaza City confirming aid agencies’ repeated warnings.
“Mounting evidence shows that widespread starvation, malnutrition, and disease are driving a rise in hunger-related deaths,” the IPC assessment maintained.
“It’s clearly a disaster unfolding in front of our eyes, in front of our television screens,” said Ross Smith, UN World Food Programme (WFP) Director of Emergencies. “This is not a warning, this is a call to action. This is unlike anything we have seen in this century,” he told journalists in Geneva.
No food – for days
The context to the alert is stark: one in three people is now going without food for days at a time, the IPC said. Hospitals are also overwhelmed and have treated more than 20,000 children for acute malnutrition since April. At least 16 children under five have died from hunger-related causes since mid-July.
The alert follows a May 2025 IPC analysis that projected catastrophic levels of food insecurity for the entire population by September. According to the platform’s experts, at least half a million people are expected to be in IPC Phase 5 – catastrophe – which is marked by starvation, destitution, and death.
The crisis is driven by nearly two years of conflict sparked by Hamas-led terror attacks in Israel in October 2023 that left some 1,250 dead and around 450 people taken hostage Heavy fighting has killed more than 59,500 people according to the enclave’s health authorities and destroyed 70 per cent of Gaza’s infrastructure. Echoing aid agencies’ longstanding concerns for non-combatants, the IPC assessment confirmed that displacement is rampant, with safe areas reduced to less than 12 per cent of the entire territory.
Ceasefire now
Gaza has a population of some 2.1 million people and 90 per cent have been displaced, many of them multiple times over. More than 762,500 displacements have been recorded since the end of the ceasefire on 18 March.
Meanwhile, humanitarian access remains severely restricted, with aid convoys frequently obstructed or looted. On Sunday, Israel announced that it would begin daily humanitarian pauses in Gaza. More than 100 trucks of aid reportedly entered on Sunday, but the UN continues to uphold the need to flood Gaza with food, fuel and medicine.
In line with international calls for an end to the war, the IPC platform also calls for an unconditional and immediate ceasefire, unimpeded humanitarian access and the restoration of essential services. Widespread death is imminent without urgent intervention, the report warns.
The food security experts also appealed for the protection of civilians, humanitarian personnel and critical infrastructure including health, water, sanitation, roads and telecommunications networks.
Key Points
Famine is confirmed if all three core thresholds are breached: plummeting food consumption, acute malnutrition and starvation-related deaths. It is extremely difficult to gather robust data on acute malnutrition and related deaths because health systems are “collapsing”, UN agencies WFP and the UN Children’s Fund explained in a joint alert.
Children at risk: More than 20,000 treated for acute malnutrition; 16 deaths reported.
Infrastructure collapse: 70 per cent of Gaza’s infrastructure destroyed.
Displacement crisis: Safe zones now cover less than 12 per cent of the Strip.
For more details on the IPC and its work tracking hunger and famine conditions follow this link:
https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/03/1147661
In Gaza, growing evidence of widespread famine and famine
According to the integrated classification platform for the food security phase (IPC), two out of three Famine thresholds for food consumption have been raped in most of GazaWith acute malnutrition levels in the city of Gaza confirming the repeated warnings of the aid agencies.
“The growing evidence shows that famine, malnutrition and generalized diseases lead to an increase in death -related deaths,” said IPC assessment.
“It is clearly a disaster that takes place before our eyes, in front of our television screens”, ” said Ross Smith, UN World Food Program (Wfp) Emergency director. “It is not a warning, it is a call for action. This is different from everything we saw during this century “,” He told journalists in Geneva.
No food – for days
The alert’s context is Stark: one in three people are now without food for days at a time, said the IPC. Hospitals are also exceeded and have treated more than 20,000 children for acute malnutrition since April. At least 16 children under the age of five have died of hunger causes since mid-July.
The alert follows an IPC analysis in May 2025 which projects Catastrophic levels of food insecurity For the entire population by September. According to experts from the platform, at least half a million people should be in phase 5 of the IPC- disaster – which is marked by famine, destitution and death.
The crisis is trained by almost two years of conflict launched by terrorist attacks led by Hamas in Israel in October 2023 which left around 1,250 people dead and around 450 people taken hostage of heavy fighting killed more than 59,500 people according to the health authorities of the enclave and destroys 70% of the Gaza infrastructure. Echoing the long-standing concerns of assistance agencies for non-combatants, the evaluation of the IPC confirmed that the trip was widespread, with secure areas reduced to less than 12% of the whole territory.
Ceasefire now
Gaza has a population of around 2.1 million people and 90% have been moved, many of them repeatedly. More than 762,500 trips have been recorded since the end of the ceasefire on March 18.
Meanwhile, humanitarian access remains severely limited, help convoys are frequently obstructed or caught. On Sunday, Israel announced that it would start daily humanitarian breaks in Gaza. More than 100 aid trucks would have entered Sunday, but the UN continues to maintain the need to flood Gaza with food, fuel and medication.
In accordance with international calls at the end of the war, the IPC platform also provides for an unconditional and immediate ceasefire, without hindrance and the restoration of essential services. Generalized death is imminent without urgent intervention, warns the report.
Food security experts have also called for the protection of civilians, humanitarian staff and critical infrastructure, including health, water, sanitation, roads and telecommunications networks.
Key points
Confirmed famine: IPC thresholds raped for food consumption and malnutrition.
Children at risk: more than 20,000 treatises for acute malnutrition; 16 reported deaths.
Collaboration of infrastructure: 70% of the infrastructure of Gaza destroyed.
Travel crisis: Safe areas now cover less than 12% of the band.
For more details on the IPC and its hunger for monitoring work and the famine conditions follow this link:
Originally published at Almouwatin.com
European Health Insurance Card: keeping you safe while travelling abroad
Have you ever injured yourself while surfing in France and needed stitches? Sprained your ankle while hiking the Alps? Needed to see a doctor because of your pre-existing diabetes while on holiday in Greece? Perhaps not, but in case something like this does happen while you’re abroad, the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) has you covered.
The EHIC allows you to receive necessary and urgent medical care abroad, including for chronic or existing illnesses, as well as pregnancy and childbirth. It’s not an alternative to travel insurance, and it does not cover any private healthcare costs or planned medical treatments. EHIC is valid in any EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
By presenting the card, you can obtain healthcare services directly from a public or contracted provider under the same conditions and at the same cost as people insured in the country you are visiting. Each country’s healthcare system is different, and services that cost nothing at home might not be free in another country. You can claim reimbursement for the costs you incur from the national institution whilst still in the country and get reimbursement directly there or ask for reimbursement from your health insurer when you get home.
More than half of the EU population has the EHIC. Applying for one is easy and free – simply contact your health insurance institution before your trip. You’ll typically receive it by mail within a few days. If you’re going to travel before obtaining the card, you can apply for an EHIC replacement certificate.
Travel with peace of mind, knowing the EHIC is there to support your healthcare needs abroad.
For more information
keeping you safe while travelling abroad
Have you ever injured yourself while surfing in France and needed stitches? Sprained your ankle while hiking the Alps? Needed to see a doctor because of your pre-existing diabetes while on holiday in Greece? Perhaps not, but in case something like this does happen while you’re abroad, the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) has you covered.
The EHIC allows you to receive necessary and urgent medical care abroad, including for chronic or existing illnesses, as well as pregnancy and childbirth. It’s not an alternative to travel insurance, and it does not cover any private healthcare costs or planned medical treatments. EHIC is valid in any EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
By presenting the card, you can obtain healthcare services directly from a public or contracted provider under the same conditions and at the same cost as people insured in the country you are visiting. Each country’s healthcare system is different, and services that cost nothing at home might not be free in another country. You can claim reimbursement for the costs you incur from the national institution whilst still in the country and get reimbursement directly there or ask for reimbursement from your health insurer when you get home.
More than half of the EU population has the EHIC. Applying for one is easy and free – simply contact your health insurance institution before your trip. You’ll typically receive it by mail within a few days. If you’re going to travel before obtaining the card, you can apply for an EHIC replacement certificate.
Travel with peace of mind, knowing the EHIC is there to support your healthcare needs abroad.
For more information
Amid starvation in Gaza, Sudan, Guterres slams hunger ‘as a weapon of war’
The development comes as UN Secretary-General António Guterres cautioned that conflict-driven hunger is spreading “from Gaza to Sudan and beyond”.
“Hunger fuels instability and undermines peace. We must never accept hunger as a weapon of war,” he said in a video message to the UN Food Systems Summit Stocktake in Addis Ababa.
Meanwhile, citing reports Monday that “more children died today of hunger”, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, said that it hoped to receive permission to bring in thousands of trucks loaded with food, medicine and hygiene supplies that Israel has blocked from entering Gaza for months.
“They are currently in Jordan and Egypt waiting for the green light,” the UN agency explained, adding that “at least 500/600 trucks” are needed every day to prevent more people from starving. More than 100 people have now starved to death in Gaza, UNRWA said, while local health authority reports indicate more than 40 deaths from malnutrition this month alone.
“Opening all the crossings and flooding Gaza with assistance is the only way to avert further deepening of starvation among the people of Gaza,” the UN agency maintained.
Humanitarian pauses
Its comments follow a major policy shift over the weekend when the Israeli army announced the establishment of a daily humanitarian pause from 10am to 8pm local time, in areas where its troops are not active. Child malnutrition has been on the rise in Gaza, particularly since 2 March when Israel imposed a near-total blockade, UNWRA has said.
According to a map supplied by the Israeli authorities, the humanitarian pause applies to a thin strip of Gaza encompassing Al-Mawasi in the southwest, Deir Al-Balah in the centre and Gaza City in the north.
On Sunday, a convoy of more than 100 trucks carrying aid supplies reportedly entered the Strip via the Kerem Shalom border crossing in the south.
Aid desperately needed
While welcoming that development, the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, highlighted the staggering scale of needs on the ground in Gaza.
One in three people “hasn’t eaten for days”, insisted Tom Fletcher, UN Emergency Relief Chief and head of OCHA. “People are being shot just trying to get food to feed their families. Children are wasting away. This is what we face on the ground right now.”
In his statement, Mr. Fletcher acknowledged “progress” on the aid front, but stressed that “vast amounts of aid are needed to stave off famine and a catastrophic health crisis”. He said UN agencies and the humanitarian community remain mobilised “to save as many lives as we can”.
In addition to Israel’s temporary boost for increased aid in Gaza, customs restrictions on food, medicine and fuel from Egypt have reportedly been lifted. Secure routes for UN humanitarian convoys have also been designated.
“We need sustained action and fast, including quicker clearances for convoys going to the crossing and dispatching into Gaza,” Mr. Fletcher said, underscoring the need for “multiple trips per day to the crossings so we and our partners can pick up the cargo, safe routes that avoid crowded areas and no more attacks on people gathering for food”.
Meeting on two-State solution
Meanwhile in New York, France and Saudi Arabia on Monday launched a new diplomatic initiative to push for a two-State solution between Israel and the Palestinian people.
The three-day conference begins as President Emmanuel Macron announced that France will formally recognise Palestine in September, the first of the G7 nations to do so.
A UN General Assembly resolution from 1947 established the partition of Palestine – then under British mandate – into two independent States, one Jewish and the other Arab. The State of Israel was declared in 1948.
Follow live coverage of the conference here.
World News in Brief: Cambodia-Thailand ceasefire, bloody weekend in Ukraine, stop hepatitis by hepatitis
The agreement was announced on Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, current president of the Asean of Southeast Asia, was announced at midnight on Malaysian Bloc.
The clashes, which started on July 24, would have moved more than 130,000 people in Thailand and more than 4,000 people in Cambodia, aid partners announced last week.
According to the media, nearly 40 people were killed and around 200 injured, who cited Thai and Cambodian sources
The UN Security advice met in camera Friday afternoon to discuss the crisis, which dates back decades.
‘A positive step’
The secretary general praised the ceasefire “as a positive step towards the end of current hostilities and the relaxation of tensions,” said deputy spokesman Farhan Haq a declaration.
The UN chief has urged the two countries “to fully respect the agreement and create an environment conducive to long -standing problems and the realization of lasting peace.
He recommended Malaysia, the current president of the Anase, as well as the United States and China, for their efforts dedicated to the peaceful resolution of the situation.
According to the media, Prime Minister Ibrahim of Malaysia for talks between the parties of his official residence near the country’s capital, Kuala Lumpur.
The declaration concluded by stressing that the UN is ready to support efforts to promote peace and stability in the region.
Ukraine: 20 dead and 120 injured in weekend attacks
Since Friday, at least 20 people have been killed and 120 others injured in Ukraine while the attacks have continued to devastate the country, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ochhasaid on Monday.
The most serious attacks occurred in the Sumy region where a civil bus was affected, killing three women over 65 and injuring 19 more. Sumy also experienced power outages following attacks.
These attacks occur in the middle of a three -year summit for civilian victims, with 6,574 killed in the first half of 2025 and 5,000 long -range ammunition launched by Russia only in July.
Damaged civil structures
Residential buildings, stores and schools were affected in the border region this weekend, harmful structures on which civilians count for their livelihoods. A Kharkiv hospital was also struck on Friday, the World Health Organization (WHO) Say.
To support families and people affected by attacks, humanitarian workers have assigned assistance in the form of shelter and psychosocial support equipment. They also helped to repair certain structures.
“Humanitarian workers continue to coordinate with local organizations to support the most vulnerable people in the Sumy region”, the deputy spokesman for the UN Farhan Haq said Journalists at the headquarters of New York.
In Chile, new hepatitis treatments mean that around 98% of patients are completely recovered.
The United Nations health agency calls for urgent action on hepatitis
The World Health Organization (WHO) urges governments and partners to intensify efforts to eliminate viral hepatitis as a threat to public health and reduce liver cancer deaths.
The United Nations agency launched the call on Monday, World Hepatitis Day.
“Every 30 seconds, someone dies from a serious liver disease linked to hepatitis or liver cancer. However, we have the tools to stop hepatitis, “said Managing Director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Viral hepatitis – types A, B, C, D and E – are the main causes of acute liver infections, but only hepatitis B, C and D can cause chronic diseases, which considerably increases the risk of cirrhosis, hepatic insufficiency and liver cancer.
However, most people with hepatitis ignore that they are infected. Types B, C and D affect more than 300 million people worldwide and cause more than 1.3 million dead each year, mainly liver and cancer cirrhosis.
Decompose barriers
World Hepatitis Day is observed each year on July 28. The theme of this year, Let’s do itCalls an urgent action to dismantle the financial, social and systemic barriers which oppose the elimination of hepatitis and the prevention of liver cancer.
Last month, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (Circ) – a specialized branch of HOM – classified hepatitis D as a human carcinogen, as well as types B and C.
Hepatitis D, which only develops in people already infected with hepatitis B, increases the risk of liver cancer two to six times compared to hepatitis B alone.
Who said that the reclassification of the disease “marks a critical step in global efforts to raise awareness, improve screening and extend access to new treatments for hepatitis D.”
Oral treatment can cure hepatitis C in two to three months and effectively remove hepatitis B with life treatment, the agency said.
Although treatment options for hepatitis of continuing to evolve, reducing the incidence of cirrhosis and liver cancer will only occur with significant expansion and deepening of vaccination, test and processing programs.
Originally published at Almouwatin.com
Sudan: The UN rings the alarm while health and food crises aggravate across the country
While the conflict between raging rival soldiers, millions of people continue to be moved.
While the UN and its partners continue to provide assistance to newly displaced families in northern Darfur, “almost 60% of the displaced families still have no support for the appropriate shelter,” said the deputy spokesman of the secretary general, Farhan Haq on Monday during a daily press briefing.
In the Abu Shouk camp in El Fasher, the capital of Darfur du Nord, the displaced families face acute shortages of food and medicine, local sources reporting four deaths linked to hunger last week, while food insecurity continues to worsen throughout the country.
In the state of North Darfur, in particular, a low supply of cereals, bad harvests and prolonged food deficit seriously affected food availability.
Health crisis
Meanwhile, cholera cases continue to increase at Tawila. More than 1,500 serious and confirmed serious infections have been reported since June, more than 500 people currently receiving treatment.
While local authorities have introduced emergency measures, including market closings and the ban on public gatherings, humanitarian organizations urgently require $ 120 million to increase Tawila vital support over the next three months.
“This funding is essential to contain the epidemic and support critical services,” said Ochha.
Meanwhile, at the Sudan port, the main entry point for humanitarian staff and supplies, a strong increase in heat strokes linked to an extreme temperature and prolonged power outages raises concerns, because a death has been recorded in the last two days.
Food crisis
In El Fasher, food prices continue to increase at alarming levels. The integrated classification of the food security phase (IPC) has already identified famine conditions in several areas of the North Darfur and the mountains of Nuba Eastern, with more risky locations.
In May, the average cost of the local food basket in El Fasher was more than six times the national average, because the city recorded the highest prices for almost all essential items among the evaluated localities.
An IPC alert earlier this month noted that the Sudan food security and nutrition situation should deteriorate more during the Alanque season from July to October, especially in active conflict areas with limited access and a high travel test.
Originally published at Almouwatin.com
A slight decrease in global hunger as inequalities are widening, the UN report reveals
The report estimates 8.2% of the world’s population (673 million people) experienced a hunger in 2024down 8.5% in 2023 and 8.7% in 2022.
Latin America and Asia have experienced improvements, the prevalence of undernourishment lowering 1.2% in Asia and 1% in Latin America and the Caribbean between 2022 and 2024.
However, 20% of the African population and 12.7% of people in western Asia face hunger, showing evidence of an unfortunately regular increase.
Of the 512 million people projected who could be chronically undernourished by 2030, almost 60% will be in Africa.
Progress of sustainable development
Together, these figures and the evaluation by the report of nutritional objectives as part of the sustainable development program underline the immense challenge to achieve the global objective of hunger zero.
Among children’s nutrition indicators, the prevalence of growth retardation among those under five decreased by 3.2% from 2012 to 2024, but the proportion of overweight or waste children remains largely unchanged.
Increased anemia in women aged 15 to 49 and adult obesity.
Above all, while global food insecurity has decreased only slightly from 2023 to 2024, 335 million more people were affected in 2024 than in 2019before the COVID 19 Pandemic and 683 million more than in 2015, when the sustainable development program was adopted.
Food inflation of the era cocovated
The report was published by five United Nations agencies: The Food and Agriculture Organization (Fao), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (Ifad), the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef), the global food program (Wfp), and the World Health Organization (WHO).
They noted that the estimates of hunger and food security remain above pre-pale levels due to a “perfect storm” of COVVI-19 inflation, war in Ukraine and climatic shocks.
Talk to Overview of the report On July 22, the chief economist of the FAO, Máximo Torero Cullen, underlined the conclusion that tax and monetary policies during the COVID-19 pandemic increased demand and inflation.
Combined with the commercial restrictions of basic foods and products linked to the war in Ukraine and the current climatic shocks, these factors have spectacular food inflation spectacular, which hinders post-pandemic recovery of food security and nutrition.
This perfect storm struck the countries with low and lower income, particularly harshly, which makes food inflation even higher than the world average already high.
Consequently, although the number of people capable of allowing themselves a healthy food has increased in the world from 2019 to 2024 despite the price increase, it decreased in countries with low and lower income, where prices have increased even more strongly.
Financing recommendations and needs
The report recommends a combination of political responses to combat global inflation of food prices. These include targeted budgetary measures to protect the most affected, credible and transparent monetary policies to keep inflation under control and strategic investments in agrifood systems.
The report and agency leaders have also stressed that funding is desperately necessary to meet the world’s challenges.
“Hunger remains at alarming levels, but the funding necessary to lower it,” said Cindy McCain, general manager of WFP.
“This year, financing reductions of up to 40% mean that tens of millions of people will lose the vital rescue buoy that we offer,” she added.
“Although the low reduction in global food insecurity rates is welcome, the inability continues to provide critical aid to people in need will soon eliminate these hard -won earnings, arousing additional instability in the volatile regions of the world.”
Originally published at Almouwatin.com
