Famine expected in Gaza between now and May: What to know?
Al Jazeera
UN-backed report says Gaza’s 2.3 million population is experiencing food shortage as Israel accused of provoking famine.
Northern Gaza could be hit by famine any time between mid-March and May, and more than 70 percent of Gaza’s 2.3 million population is facing “catastrophic hunger”, a United Nations-backed report published on Monday has warned.
Some 300,000 people remain trapped in northern Gaza, where people have resorted to eating animal feed in desperation and at least 27 children have died of malnutrition in recent weeks as Israel has blocked the delivery of aid supplies, including food. The first aid trucks in months entered northern Gaza on Sunday.
More than 31,000 Palestinians have been killed and vast swathes of the besieged enclave destroyed in more than five months of relentless Israeli bombardment.
Here is what to know about the report:
The entire population in Gaza is experiencing high levels of acute food shortage, with around 1.1 million people or half the population living through catastrophic food insecurity, according to the report by the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).