August 24, 2025 | 03:58 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A recent report by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) officially declared that Gaza has entered a state of famine. As reported by Sky News, this makes Gaza the first region outside of Africa to be classified as such since the IPC was established in 2004.
The report reveals that over 500,000 Gazan residents are in crisis, facing severe starvation, extreme poverty, and a rising number of deaths. The Gaza Ministry of Health has reported at least 251 deaths due to famine, including 108 children. With over two million inhabitants trapped by a blockade and ongoing conflict, these numbers could rise sharply in the coming months.
According to the IPC, a region is declared to be in a state of famine if it meets three specific indicators: more than 20 percent of households face extreme food shortages; more than 30 percent of children suffer from acute malnutrition; and the death rate reaches two people per 10,000 population per day.
In addition to Gaza, the IPC has documented other countries that have experienced famine. Here are the regions that have officially been declared in a state of famine by the IPC:
Somalia (2011)
The first famine recorded by the IPC occurred in Somalia in 2011. A devastating combination of prolonged conflict, severe drought, and limited access to international aid caused millions of people to lose their food sources.
The IPC reported that more than 250,000 people died, half of whom were children. Somalia serves as a tragic example of how modern famines often result from a combination of political factors and natural disasters.
South Sudan (2017 and 2020)
Six years after the Somalia crisis, the IPC once again declared a famine in South Sudan. In 2017, civil war and an economic crisis led to extreme food shortages in Unity State. Thousands of families were trapped without access to agricultural land or markets. The IPC reported that about 100,000 people were directly affected, with millions more at high risk.
Conditions deteriorated again in South Sudan in 2020. This time, Pibor County became the epicenter of the crisis after severe floods destroyed agriculture, exacerbated by armed violence and rising food prices. The IPC declared that tens of thousands of people in the area were in a famine phase, and reports indicated a significant increase in child malnutrition rates.
Sudan (2024)
The most recent famine case before Gaza was in the Zamzam refugee camp in North Darfur, Sudan. In July 2024, the IPC declared a state of famine after more than 15 months of armed conflict had blocked humanitarian aid routes.
Thousands of refugees were living without adequate food supplies, and the death toll soared. The situation was exacerbated by limited healthcare services and skyrocketing prices for basic necessities.
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