1.1 million people affected

Parts of Gaza face imminent famine

(Bild: Associated Press)

In view of the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, internationally recognized experts are warning that famine is imminent in parts of Gaza. In the north of the sealed-off coastal strip, this is expected to occur between mid-March and May, according to a new report published on Monday by the so-called IPC Initiative for the Analysis of Food Crises. An increasing deterioration in the food situation has been observed in recent months.

According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), around half of the population in the sealed-off coastal strip - around 1.1 million people - are in the worst emergency situation. The initiative has a multi-level system according to which it assesses how many people are affected by hunger and to what extent. The highest level, 5, is described as "famine-like conditions". The IPC initiative is used by the United Nations and consists of many different UN organizations and international aid groups.

According to the experts, the population throughout the Gaza Strip is facing a high level of acute food insecurity. The experts sounded the alarm at the end of last year. At that time, almost 577,000 people were already in the highest category. Since then, the situation has worsened.