UN Warns Gaza on the Brink of Widespread Famine Amid Severe Shortages
The United Nations has warned that the Gaza Strip is on the verge of widespread famine, a situation marked by a severe shortage of medicine, medical supplies, and widespread food insecurity that threatens the lives of civilians.
According to Tedros Adhanom, Director-General of the World Health Organization, more than 100,000 children and 37,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women will be at risk of acute malnutrition by April 2026. He emphasized that only half of Gaza’s health centers are operating in a limited capacity, with a serious lack of essential medicines and equipment.
Based on UN assessments, around 1.6 million Gaza residents are expected to face severe food insecurity by mid-April 2026. The organization warned that if hostilities resume and humanitarian aid is halted, the entire Gaza Strip could face famine within a few months.
Reports indicate that the destruction of infrastructure, collapse of livelihoods, reduced food production, and restrictions on aid have made Gaza’s humanitarian situation extremely fragile. The United Nations has called for the immediate and unconditional entry of medical supplies to save lives.
Meanwhile, the organization Save the Children stated that despite the cessation of hostilities, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has not ended and the catastrophic conditions persist. The group stressed the urgent need to reopen crossings for humanitarian aid delivery, warning that without sustained access, meeting the basic needs of Gaza’s residents is impossible.
The organization also highlighted the immediate need for prefabricated homes, temporary shelters, and winter clothing, especially for children, who are the most vulnerable to cold weather and its human consequences. They warned that delays in sending aid could put thousands of civilians, particularly children, at serious risk.
