IPC Declares Famine in Gaza, Israeli Foreign Ministry Disputes Findings

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) on Friday said there was an “entirely man-made” famine in Gaza City and surrounding areas after nearly two years of the Gaza war.

The Details: More than 500,000 people are facing starvation and death, according to a release by the IPC. It said the crisis could spread to Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis by the end of September, leaving nearly one-third of Gaza’s population in catastrophic conditions, and more than half in severe emergency. It’s the first time the IPC has confirmed a famine in the Middle East. The Israeli foreign ministry denied starvation in the territory, saying, “Over 100,000 aid trucks have entered Gaza since the war began…The IPC could not find famine — so they forged one.”

For Context: The IPC is a system used to evaluate and classify the severity of food insecurity and malnutrition. It is supported by a global partnership that includes UN agencies, the European Union, and others. According to the IPC’s criteria, for a famine to be declared, two of three conditions must be met: at least 20% of households are facing an extreme food shortage, at least 30% of children are malnourished, or the area is experiencing two adult or four child non-trauma deaths for every 10,000 people. President Trump has previously expressed concern over starvation in Gaza, saying the US will build food centers to help. 

How the Media Covered It: Outlets on the left emphasized the severity of the food crisis, and previous warnings of a food shortage. They also cited Israel’s aid blockage, and its denial of starvation. Associated Press (Left bias), New York Times (Lean Left) and BBC (Center) all included stories from those in Gaza. Several outlets on the right overlooked or buried the famine in their reporting, and highlighted Israel’s response that the data was “fabricated”. New York Post (Lean Right) covered Israel’s offensive to capture and occupy Gaza City, briefly mentioning the famine. Newsmax (Right) reposted a story from the Jewish News Syndicate (Not rated), highlighting the Israeli government’s challenge to the IPC famine report, noting that some data came from the Hamas-affiliated Gaza Health Ministry and disputing the famine classification due to the lack of verified mortality figures. Washington Examiner (Lean Right) reported on the breadth of the famine, and how the IPC approached the classification.

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