ISLAMABAD: The United Nations has issued a stark warning about the deepening hunger crisis in Gaza, stating that Israeli restrictions are preventing the delivery of sufficient food aid, leaving residents with dangerously low calorie intake levels that fall short of sustaining human life.
According to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the average daily calorie intake for a person in Gaza has dropped to 1,400 calories, well below the minimum requirement of 2,300 calories per day. Between October 2023 and December 2024, the average stood at 1,510 calories, just 72 % of what is needed to maintain health and vitality. The FAO described the situation as a “systematic and escalating violation” of international humanitarian and human rights laws. It raised specific concerns over breaches of the right to adequate food, the prohibition against using hunger as a weapon of war, and the obligation to protect civilians during armed conflict.
Families without income or male support are facing the harshest consequences, with malnutrition rates rising sharply. The FAO said the entire population in Gaza is suffering from a lack of dietary diversity and faces severe food insecurity. The organisation emphasised that without large-scale food distribution led by established humanitarian agencies, the crisis will continue to deteriorate.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has repeatedly called on Israel to allow unrestricted aid deliveries into Gaza and to comply with the International Court of Justice’s directives concerning humanitarian obligations. Gaza’s population has dropped to 2.1 million from 2.23 million since the war began in October 2023. According to Palestinian health authorities cited by the FAO, as of April 30, 52,400 people had been killed, while another 11,000 remain missing, presumed buried under rubble.
Despite 60,000 births during the conflict, an unknown number of infants have died due to hunger, lack of medical care, or injuries. A study published in The Lancet medical journal in June 2024 estimated that up to 186,000 additional deaths could occur from indirect causes related to the war.
The FAO estimates that Gaza needs at least 2,297 tonnes of food aid daily — the equivalent of 120 trucks — to meet the minimum requirement of 2,100 calories per person. However, UN aid teams reported that on Wednesday, they requested access for 130 trucks via the Kerem Shalom border crossing, but only 50 trucks carrying flour were allowed through by Israeli authorities. The UN continues to press for the urgent expansion of humanitarian corridors and for the international community to ensure the protection of aid deliveries in line with international legal obligations.
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