The population of the Gaza Strip is undergoing a famine as a result of an Israeli blockade during the Gaza war that prevents basic essentials and humanitarian aid from entering Gaza, as well as airstrikes that have destroyed food infrastructure, such as bakeries, mills, and food stores, causing a widespread scarcity of essential supplies. Humanitarian aid has also been blocked by protests at borders and ports. Increasing societal breakdown in Gaza, including looting, has also been cited as a barrier to the provision of aid.
As of August 2025, Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) projections show 100% of the population are experiencing "high levels of acute food insecurity", and 32% are projected to face Phase 5 catastrophic levels by 30 September 2025. On 22 August 2025, the IPC said that famine is taking place in one of the five governorates in the Gaza Strip: specifically, the Gaza Governorate which includes Gaza City. The IPC added that, within the next month, famine was likely to also occur in both the Deir al-Balah Governorate and Khan Yunis Governorate. The IPC had insufficient data on the North Gaza Governorate for a classification but concluded that conditions were likely similar or worse than in the Gaza Governorate. Within the next 6 weeks as of 16 August, the number of people in IPC Phase 5 is expected to rise from 500,000 to over 640,000.
