A United Nations-backed global hunger monitor has determined that famine is now occurring in Gaza City and its surrounding area.The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) had previously warned that Gaza was on the verge of famine, but now says for the first time that the events of the past few months – including a new Israeli offensive, increased displacement and weeks of total Israeli blockade of the territory – have made famine a reality in Gaza.The IPC experts warn that famine will spread to other areas of Gaza if nothing is done to stop Israel’s war and ramp up humanitarian aid. Let’s take a closer look.What were the main findings of the report?The main finding is that famine is no longer a threat to Gaza – it is now a reality. The IPC says that more than 500,000 people in the Gaza Strip now face “catastrophic conditions”, the highest level in its food insecurity classification, “characterised by starvation, destitution and death”.In the Gaza Governorate, which includes Gaza City, the IPC found that 30 percent of the population is facing catastrophic conditions, with 50 percent facing an “emergency”, the level below. Conditions in North Gaza governorate are believed to be “as severe – or worse – …
