Trócaire calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza as famine declared

The report released by UN classification system this morning confirmed that Famine (IPC Phase 5) is present in the Gaza Governorate and is projected to spread to Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis Governorates by the end of September. ? 

A declaration of IPC Famine (Phase 5) means a situation where at least one in five households faces extreme food deprivation, leading to starvation, destitution, critically high levels of acute malnutrition, and significant death rates.?IPC is the global standard for classifying acute food insecurity. This is the first time famine has been officially declared in Gaza.

Trócaire is calling for an immediate ceasefire to avert further mass death due to the rapidly spiraling starvation. In the 22 months following October 7th, 89 fatalities were attributed to malnutrition or starvation, mostly children. In the first three weeks of August, there have been at least 133 deaths, including 25 minors.

The report predicts at least 132,000 children under 5 in Gaza are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition by June 2026,?more than double the estimates in May, confirming that the world is watching a manufactured famine play out in real time.

The report said Gaza has experienced a “food system collapse”, with more than 98 per cent of the cropland in the territory damaged or inaccessible, livestock decimated, fishing banned, cash scarce, and market prices unaffordable, and nearly 55,500 malnourished pregnant and breastfeeding women also will require an urgent nutrition response.

What we are witnessing is the result of Israel’s genocide of the Palestinian people, breaching International Human Rights Law and constituting as war crimes.

Trócaire’s head of humanitarian programmes, Chris McElhinney, said, “What we have been witnessing in Gaza and the Occupied Territories over the last 22 months has culminated in the mass starvation of Palestinian people. The 1.9 million people, 90% of the population, have been displaced multiple times since the start of the war, leaving most families living in unsafe, overcrowded conditions, and many sleeping without any shelter. Trócaire partners are still operating in Gaza, but nutrition supplies for treating and preventing acute malnutrition are close to depletion due to entry restrictions, this will have devastating consequences for the already starving population.

“This is beyond a humanitarian disaster, this is hell on earth. A ceasefire must be put in place now, and international humanitarian aid must be allowed into Gaza to save as many lives as possible.”