UN Declares Gaza Famine Over But Warns Food Crisis Remains Critical

The IPC officially declared that famine in the Gaza Strip was over.

“Field indicators in the Gaza Strip reveal an unprecedented deterioration in the food crisis, with the gap between needs and available supplies widening, amid continued crossing restrictions and a decline in aid flows, placing residents at risk of a rising famine”

Al-Jazeera Net

The entire Gaza Strip remained classified as in emergency (IPC Phase 4).

Al-Jazeera Net

About 1.6 million people still faced acute food insecurity.

UNICEF's head of communications cautioned that the situation is far from comfortable.

Israel's Foreign Ministry called the report deliberately distorted.

The humanitarian situation in Gaza remained dire despite the IPC declaration.

More than 172,000 metric tons of pre-authorized aid remained blocked.

AL24 News

The Gaza Strip's 2.2 million residents continued to face severe shortages.

Hundreds of thousands lived in makeshift shelters ill-suited to winter rains.

Malnutrition had decreased but remained a critical concern.

Gaza needed about 450 tons of flour daily but was receiving less than half.

“Many more people can now access the food they need to survive, said UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Friday, December 19”

BFM

Residents queued for hours at bakeries.

Prices rose from 3 shekels to between 7 and 15 shekels per loaf.

The World Food Programme had cut subsidized flour and diesel by up to 30%.

The IPC noted that nutritious foods remained scarce and expensive.

Only about 200 aid trucks were allowed on average despite the ceasefire provision for 600.

More than 172,000 metric tons of pre-authorized aid remained blocked.

franceinfo

The Rafah crossing operated intermittently with compliance rates not exceeding 25%.

More than 21,500 patients urgently needed treatment outside Gaza but faced obstruction.

Oxfam France stated that Israel allows far too little aid to enter.