The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees has warned that a man-made famine is unfolding in Gaza, with the threshold for famine now met amid severe hunger, mass displacement, and collapsing health systems.

Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of UNRWA, said on Monday that leading global experts had confirmed the situation had deteriorated to the point of full-scale famine.

“The worst case scenario of famine is now happening in Gaza… an entirely man-made famine,” he posted on X (formerly Twitter). “The threshold of famine has been reached with widespread starvation and malnutrition across the war-torn enclave, including among children. More than 100 people have died due to hunger in the past few weeks alone.”

For months, aid agencies have been warning that Gaza was on the brink of famine, citing a near-total blockade, limited aid entry, and the destruction of agricultural and food supply networks. UN assessments suggest that nearly the entire population is facing high levels of food insecurity, with many surviving on minimal daily rations.

According to humanitarian standards, famine is declared when at least 20% of households face extreme food shortages, acute malnutrition exceeds 30%, and two people out of every 10,000 die each day due to hunger or related causes.

“The only way to reverse this catastrophe is to flood Gaza with a massive scale-up of aid,” Lazzarini said. “UNRWA alone has the equivalent of 6,000 trucks of food and medicine ready to cross into Gaza. Let us do our work without restrictions, in safety and dignity.”

Despite repeated international appeals, humanitarian organisations report severe restrictions on aid convoys entering Gaza. UNRWA has accused all parties of obstructing deliveries, warning that delays are costing lives.

Aid trucks at border crossings are often stalled for security checks, and many agencies say there is a lack of guarantees for safe passage inside the enclave.

Lazzarini’s appeal reflects broader calls from the United Nations, the World Food Programme, and numerous NGOs for urgent humanitarian corridors, full access for relief agencies, and protection for aid workers.

Medical facilities in Gaza, already overwhelmed by conflict injuries, are treating growing numbers of patients suffering from severe malnutrition, dehydration, and hunger-related diseases. Many of the dead are children, the elderly, and people with chronic illnesses.

“The tireless resilience of civilians cannot overcome the deliberate deprivation of food and medicine,” said one humanitarian official. “Without immediate action, this will be remembered as one of the most preventable famines of our time.” (ILKHA)