This alarming projection was highlighted in the FAO's latest Hunger Hotspots Report, which underscores the severe impact of the Israeli-Palestinian crisis on food security.

"Famine looms in Gaza while the risk of starvation persists in Sudan, Haiti, Mali, and South Sudan,” the report states. The ongoing conflict in Palestine is exacerbating already catastrophic levels of acute hunger, with widespread starvation and death occurring alongside unprecedented casualties, destruction, and displacement across the Gaza Strip.

According to the FAO, a famine was projected in mid-March 2024 to occur by the end of May in Gaza’s two northern governorates unless hostilities ceased, humanitarian agencies gained full access, and essential services were restored. However, with conditions deteriorating, the agency now expects over one million Gazans to face death and starvation (IPC Phase 5) by mid-July.

The FAO report also warns of potential regional repercussions, noting that the crisis in Gaza could worsen existing food security challenges in Lebanon and Syria.

Despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire, Israel has continued its offensive on Gaza since October 7. Local health authorities report that more than 36,500 Palestinians, the majority of whom are women and children, have been killed, and nearly 83,000 others injured.

The FAO's findings call for urgent international attention and action to address the escalating humanitarian disaster in Gaza and its potential spillover effects in the region. (ILKHA)