How Israeli actions caused famine, visualized

Summary

Israel’s nearly two-year war pushed parts of Gaza into “man-made” famine, according to a report published in August by a United Nations-backed initiative, deepening the Palestinians’ struggle for survival under relentless bombing, mass displacement and the spread of disease. The report by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), a UN-backed expert panel that assesses global food insecurity and malnutrition, helped to fuel growing international outcry over Israel’s campaign in Gaza following the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attacks – and was cited by some of countries that recently made moves towards formally recognizing a Palestinian state. The IPC forecast that by the end of September nearly a third of Gaza’s total population would face famine conditions, although it has not yet provided an update on that forecast. In Gaza governorate alone – the largest by population of five in the Gaza Strip – more than half a million people were condemned to a cycle of “starvation, destitution and death,” the IPC added. The Israeli assault on Gaza City, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says is targeting one of Hamas’ “remaining strongholds” has choked relief operations for starving Palestinians, according to rights workers. Michael Fakhri, the UN’s special rapporteur on the right to food, accused Israel of using hunger “as a weapon against Palestinians,” in violation of international law. “Israel has built the most efficient starvation machine you can imagine.” Michael Fakhri, the UN’s special rapporteur on the right to food “Israel is using food and aid as a weapon to humiliate, weaken, displace and kill Palestinians in Gaza,” Fakhri told CNN on August 28. Israel rejected the IPC’s findings, with the Israeli agency that oversees the entry of aid into Gaza claiming the report was “false” and based on “partial, biased” data “originating from Hamas.” Netanyahu slammed the UN-backed report, in a statement from his office, adding that “Israel does not ha...