NEW YORK, August 3, 2026 (WAFA) – The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned on Monday of an unprecedented and catastrophic deterioration in living conditions across the Gaza Strip, stressing that the specter of famine is threatening hundreds of thousands of people amid the ongoing comprehensive blockade and severe shortages of essential supplies.

OCHA said humanitarian indicators have reached alarming levels, with 67% of the Gaza Strip's population facing acute food insecurity and struggling daily to secure even a single basic meal.

According to the UN report released on Monday, 10% of Gaza's population has already reached the brink of famine—the stage immediately preceding an official famine declaration (IPC Phase 5 under the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification).

The report attributed this sharp deterioration to the disruption of the regular flow of humanitarian aid, the collapse of local supply chains, and the severe funding shortfall affecting international relief operations.

OCHA concluded by warning that the coming hours will be critical to averting a large-scale humanitarian catastrophe, calling for the full reopening of border crossings and the establishment of safe and sustained humanitarian corridors to ensure the uninterrupted delivery of food and medical supplies before it is too late.

T.R.