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	People in poverty continue to pay the high price of a debt crisis not of their making by Olivier De Schutter Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights   The international financial system is failing to address the catastrophic debt crisis that is engulfing developing countries and causing misery for hundreds of millions of people, the UN’s poverty expert said today.   “The debt crisis is not just a fiscal issue; it is a full-blown human rights crisis,” said the UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, Olivier De Schutter, on the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.   “In the poorest countries of the world people are struggling to eat, access health services or send their children to school, while their governments shell out billions of dollars to pay back loans to wealthy creditors.   “Making a bad situation worse, countries with the highest levels of debt also tend to be those most vulnerable to climate change, but are being forced to prioritise debt repayments over addressing the severe consequences of the climate crisis.”   The expert warned that rocketing interest rates since the Covid-19 pandemic were sinking countries in the Global South further into debt.   In 2023, a record 54 developing countries allocated 10% or more of government revenue to paying off the interest on their debt, leaving “little room for countries to spend on poverty-busting public services such as education or social protection”. 3.3 billion people live in countries that spend more on interest payments than on either education or health. Interest rates demanded from developing countries are also much higher than those paid by rich countries. African countries borrow money at almost four times the rate paid by the United States, despite the astronomical level of US debt.   “This perverse scenario has been playing out in the Global South for years, accelerating the freefall into poverty seen since the pandemic,” De Schutter said.   “Creditors have responded too little, too late. The G20’s ‘Common Framework’, agreed in 2020 to bring international financing institutions (IFIs), individual states and private lenders together to speed up debt restructuring, is simply not working.”   De Schutter called for immediate debt relief for countries in crisis and urgent reform of the international financial system to align with human rights.   “Banks and hedge funds have become huge players in the world of sovereign debt and should not be exempt from their human rights responsibilities. It is abhorrent that debt repayments to the world’s richest corporations are being paid at the expense of children’s education or healthcare. Governments must introduce legislation to compel private creditors under their jurisdiction to participate in debt relief for low income countries.   “Comprehensive reform of the international financial architecture, as advocated by the recently agreed Pact of the Future, is also needed. The current system within the IFIs, characterised by unequal representation between high and low-income countries, unfavourable lending conditions, and unfair debt restructuring is trapping too many countries in a cycle of poverty.”   The Special Rapporteur lamented the conditions attached to bailout packages from IFIs which, with their demands for austerity measures, sale of state assets and, at times, surcharges already denounced by UN human rights experts, make it near impossible for states to comply with their human rights obligations and lock countries into unsustainable growth patterns that have only worsened poverty and inequality.   “With Pakistan recently agreeing to its 24th bailout from the International Monetary Fund, which hinged on the country accepting what the Prime Minister called ‘conditions beyond imagination’, it is clear that people in poverty will continue to pay the high price of a debt crisis that is not of their making,” the expert said.   “The solution to the debt crisis is neither to stimulate economic growth at all costs, nor to impose austerity policies. It is to cancel or restructure debt, and to focus on public investment, particularly in social protection, that will restore the prospect of long-term prosperity.”   http://www.srpoverty.org/2024/10/17/statement-international-financial-system-not-fit-for-purpose-to-address-catastrophic-debt-crisis-un-poverty-expert/ http://www.srpoverty.org http://www.ohchr.org/en/special-procedures/sr-poverty http://www.lse.ac.uk/granthaminstitute/news/overlooking-nature-is-no-longer-an-option-for-fiscal-policy-and-debt-sustainability-analyses/ http://www.ohchr.org/en/statements-and-speeches/2025/02/asg-brands-kehris-current-international-debt-architecture-unfair http://www.cesr.org/leading-voices-call-for-a-new-development-human-rights-centered-approach-to-sovereign-debt-at-paper-series-launch/ http://iej.org.za/category/resourcing-for-rights-realisation/resourcing-for-rights-realisation_debt-justice/ http://www.ipsnews.net/2025/01/developing-countries-choked-debt-year-breaking-free/ http://debtjustice.org.uk/press-release/lower-income-country-debt-payments-hit-highest-level-in-30-years http://debtjustice.org.uk/news http://cafod.org.uk/campaign/the-new-debt-crisis http://tinyurl.com/y45jmkdd http://www.eurodad.org/g20_imf_world_bank_fail_debt_crisis   12 Oct. 2025   Urgent calls for debt relief as study shows health and education cuts in developing world   Top economists are demanding urgent action on debt relief in Washington this week, as analysis from the campaign group Debt Justice shows struggling governments are cutting back on health and education.   As finance ministers and central bankers gather for the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank annual meetings, influential experts including the Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz, and leading economists Mariana Mazzucato and Jayati Ghosh, are urging them to “turn debt into hope”.   They are calling for the urgent replenishment of the IMF and World Bank’s debt relief funds, and changes to the way the institutions work, to ensure more countries can receive debt cancellation.   “Bold action on debt means more children in classrooms, more nurses in hospitals, more action on climate change, more jobs, more trade, and less need for aid,” they say in a letter to global policymakers published this week.   The signatories, who have been involved in producing important recent reports on debt relief, including for the UN secretary general and the pope, said African governments spend an average of 17% of their revenues on servicing debts.   “A cap of 10% in 21 countries could unlock enough money to provide clean water and sanitation to roughly 10 million people, as well as avert at least 23,000 under-5 deaths each year,” they argue.   Other signatories to the letter include the former South African finance minister Trevor Manuel, and former Italian prime minister Paulo Gentiloni.   Analysis by the UK-based Debt Justice shows declining health and education spending in countries whose debts the IMF considers to be “sustainable”.   Debt Justice looked at a group of 11 countries, including Sierra Leone, Mozambique, Kenya and Pakistan, which have long-term IMF programmes, and where the Washington-based lender classifies them as at risk of not being able to repay – but that do not qualify for debt relief.   The research finds that over the course of their IMF programmes, health spending per person in this group of countries has been cut by 18% on average in real terms with education spending reduced by 10%.   Heidi Chow, the executive director of Debt Justice, said: “By denying debt relief for countries that need it, the IMF is acting as a debt collector for rich and powerful creditors, while harming millions of people in debtor countries. Forcing countries to pay debts in full is leading to deepening crises in health, education and vital public services.”   Debt Justice is calling on the IMF to review how it decides when countries are entitled to debt relief, and assess the impact of spending cuts on development goals.   http://debtjustice.org.uk/press-release/imf-denials-of-debt-relief-triggering-drastic-health-and-education-spending-cuts-in-lower-income-countries http://data.one.org/2025-debt-open-letter   June 2025 (Columbia University-Initiative for Policy Dialogue, Caritas)   A new report by world-leading experts on debt and development calls for urgent action and systemic reforms to tackle the escalating debt and development crises affecting billions worldwide.   “The Jubilee Report: A Blueprint for Tackling the Debt and Development Crises and Creating the Financial Foundations for a Sustainable People-Centered Global Economy,” is authored by Pope Francis’ Jubilee Commission — a group of over 30 leading global experts led by Nobel laureate and Columbia University Professor Joseph Stiglitz and Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs Professor Martín Guzman.   The report follows Pope Francis’ repeated calls for global debt relief, which are now being carried forward by Pope Leo XIV, and brings together for the first time a combination of sound economic expertise with the moral responsibility to act.   The report powerfully shows that the debt crisis plaguing our global financial system is also fueling a development crisis. Fifty-four developing countries now spend 10% or more of their tax revenues just on interest payments.   Across the developing world, average interest burdens have nearly doubled in the past decade. This diverts resources away from essential investments in health, education, infrastructure, and climate resilience -depriving millions of life-saving care, nutrition and employment. This does not have to be the case: Solutions exist that are both economically sound and beneficial to all.   As global market uncertainty grows and refinancing options diminish for debt-distressed nations, this report charts a bold and practical path forward, arguing that, through shared responsibility we can avoid a lost decade for development and climate action and instead support economic recovery and long-term development.   The report presents a moral and practical vision: that global finance should serve people and the planet — not punish the poor to protect profits.   http://ipdcolumbia.org/publication/jubilee-debt-development-blueprint/ http://www.caritas.org/2025/06/why-the-jubilee-report-calls-for-a-rethink-of-global-debt/ http://www.caritas.org/2025/07/church-groups-say-more-action-needed-on-global-debt-crisis/ http://www.oxfam.org/en/research/private-profit-public-power-financing-development-not-oligarchy   June 2025   United Nations Secretary-General launches report to break “the cycle of debt distress”. (UN News)   The United Nations Secretary-General has presented new recommendations–Confronting the Debt Crisis: 11 Actions to Unlock Sustainable Financing–that aim to break the cycle of debt distress and lay the foundation for unlocking long-term, affordable financing that supports sustainable development.   With two-thirds of low-income countries now at high risk of—or already in—debt distress, the report highlights a growing crisis: soaring debt service costs are crowding out vital investments in education, health, and climate resilience.   “The current global debt system is unsustainable, unfair and unaffordable, with many governments spending more on debt payments than on essentials like health and education combined,” said the Secretary-General. “These 11 immediately actionable proposals can help resolve the debt crisis, empower borrower countries, and create a fairer system.”   Prepared by the UN Secretary-General’s Expert Group on Debt, the report reinforces the commitments put forward in the FfD4 Outcome Document and makes the case that an end to the debt crisis is entirely feasible—if opportunities are seized.   http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2025/06/ffd4-press-release-sg-report-2025 http://news.un.org/en/story/2025/06/1165051 http://www.ohchr.org/en/special-procedures/ie-foreign-debt/annual-thematic-reports   Mar. 2025   Debt crisis threatens progress in the response to AIDS   The significant health progress made over the past decade in Central, Eastern, Southern and West Africa—where many countries were on track to ending their AIDS epidemics—is now at risk of being reversed due to inadequate financing. One of the major causes of the funding shortfall is rising debts.   In 2020, as the Covid-19 pandemic halted economies and overwhelmed emergency rooms, many African countries borrowed from creditors to provide emergency services to their citizens. But four years later, the terms of those loans are forcing governments to make debt payments at the expense of health and other social services. Nearly two thirds of people living with HIV reside in countries that have not received significant debt relief post-Covid.   In West and Central Africa, debt to GDP ratios increased by 9 percent between 2018 and 2023. Countries such as Burkina Faso, Burundi, the Republic of the Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Senegal and Sierra Leone have seen significant rises in their debt burden, now reaching at least 15% of GDP.   In East and Southern Africa, the situation is even more dire: in Angola, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda and Zambia, governments spend over 50 percent of their tax revenues on debt servicing. Many of these debts are from external private creditors seeking unreasonable profits – for example, one creditor in Zambia would make a 110 percent profit if the country paid back its debts. (As context, even highly profitable companies like Apple do not have profits that surpass 48 percent.)   Despite Zambia successfully reaching a debt restructuring deal with official creditors, effectively getting some debt relief last year, it’s still slated to pay two-thirds of its budget towards debts over the next two years largely due to not yet reaching a deal with private-creditors. On the ground, crises are already proliferating; hospitals lack essential medicines and equipment. Labor unions and health activists have rallied across Lusaka demanding debt cancellation.   “Countries are facing life and death decisions,” said Charles Birungi, who leads UNAIDS’ work on macroeconomic and fiscal policy. “Do I pay for hospitals, medicines and education – or do I pay my debt? What if paying my debt means that my hospitals go without drugs?”   Two recent UNAIDS reports focusing on Eastern and Southern Africa and on Western and Central Africa outline that the future of funding for the HIV response in many African countries, as well as broader health and social welfare, rests on innovative measures to ensure governments can invest their own tax revenue for citizens.   “Progress is being made in the fight against HIV in both regions,” said one of the report authors and development finance specialist Gail Hurley. “Of course there were setbacks, including those related to Covid-19, but external funding and strong political commitment has provided a solid foundation to build on. Countries now need partial or even whole scale debt relief in order to achieve global health goals.”   Debt relief is especially critical for countries that want to move away from relying on international donors to finance their HIV responses. In East and Southern Africa, for instance, most HIV financing comes from two donors: the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (which is also heavily supported by the US government). But without debt relief, countries cannot invest tax revenue in health systems.   Based on extensive consultation with economists and policy experts, UNAIDS has called for lenders and international institutions to re-negotiate debt payments to comprise at least less than 15 percent of respective countries’ annual budgets. Such a policy for the heavily indebted countries of Angola, Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, South Sudan, United Republic of Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe would free up $41 billion a year for health, education and social welfare. The strategy has a precedent: the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative, launched in 1996 by the IMF and World Bank, aimed to ensure that states did not struggle under an unmanageable debt burden. It took a similar approach and relieved 37 countries of more than $100 billion in debt.   UNAIDS also recommends that governments increase tax revenue through measures like raising the income tax of the ultra-wealthy, wealth taxes, reducing tax exemptions and clamping down on tax-dodging. Amnesty International estimates that Zambia, for example, loses over USD 4.5 billion annually through tax evasion and tax avoidance.   Another option not included in the reports but recommended by UNAIDS’s partner WHO is a ‘health tax’ on products that lead to or exacerbate health issues, including sugary beverages, tobacco and alcohol. In 2023, WHO called on all countries to increase taxes on alcohol and sugary drinks (and has previously suggested taxes on tobacco). These monies could then be re-invested in health systems.   But UNAIDS cautions that even raising tax revenue will not be enough to address funding gaps unless it goes hand in hand with debt reduction. Without swift changes to enable African governments to invest in health, Birungi fears what the future could hold. “What happens if we wake up tomorrow and the donors are gone?” he asked. “Will we go back to the 80s and 90s when people were dying in massive numbers?”   In 2025, for the first time, the G20 is chaired by an African nation: South Africa. President Cyril Ramaphosa has set debt as one of the priorities for action of the G20 Ministers of Finance. Former South African Finance Minister Trevor Manuel has been appointed to chair the newly established G20 Africa Expert Panel, an international commission of experts to advance proposals. UNAIDS will join efforts with other UN agencies and experts such as Nobel Prize laureate Joseph Stiglitz, co-chair of UNAIDS sponsored “Global Council on Inequality, AIDS and Pandemics”, to advocate for fair financing and debt resolution mechanisms to be advanced in the G20 this year.   http://www.unaids.org/en/resources/presscentre/featurestories/2025/march/20250320_debt-crisis http://www.un.org/ohrlls/content/opinion-piecesop-eds/building-resilience-least-developed-countries-pathway-sustainable-transformation http://www.srpoverty.org/2025/01/17/financing-social-protection-floors-contribution-of-the-special-rapporteur-to-ffd4/ http://reliefweb.int/report/world/human-cost-public-sector-cuts-africa-april-2025 http://actionaid.org/publications/2025/human-cost-public-cuts-africa
	Gaza Conflict: Civilians must be protected. The denial of lifesaving aid must end by UN News, UNICEF, Inter-Agency Standing Committee   9 Oct. 2025   UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has welcomed the announcement of an agreement to secure a ceasefire and hostage release deal in conflict torn Gaza, calling it a “desperately needed breakthrough” that must mark “the beginning of the end of this devastating war.”   “We have waited far too long for this moment,” he said. “All hostages must be released in a dignified manner. A permanent ceasefire must be secured. The bloodshed must stop once and for all.”   The United Nations is tasked under the ceasefire plan along with the Red Crescent, with overseeing the entry and distribution of humanitarian aid. Mr. Guterres said UN agencies and its partners were ready to “move now,” with teams and supplies in place to scale up desperately needed food, water, medical and shelter assistance for people inside Gaza.   He stressed the need for “full, safe and sustained access for humanitarian workers” and sufficient funding for recovery efforts. “Immediate and unimpeded entry of humanitarian supplies and essential commercial materials into Gaza must be ensured", he said. "The suffering must end.”   He said the United Nations would support the implementation of the ceasefire agreement, as well as working towards advancing recovery and reconstruction efforts in the devastated Gaza Strip.   Tom Fletcher, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator said: "Saving lives – given the level of needs, the level of starvation, the level of misery and despair – will require a massive collective effort, and that’s what we’re mobilized for".   "For the tens of thousands of Palestinians and Israelis who have lost their lives in the last two years, on October 7th and since, including the hundreds of our humanitarian colleagues who have died trying to save lives; for those who yearn for food, medicine, shelter, security, to be reunited with their families and loved ones; we must act."   World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the agency stood ready to support Gaza’s shattered health system. “The best medicine is peace,” he said, urging respect for the ceasefire agreement “so the suffering of all civilians finally ends.”   The World Food Programme (WFP) said it was on the ground ready to scale up operations, but underlined there is no time to waste.   Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of the UN’s Palestine refugee agency (UNRWA) noted that enough food is ready to be trucked into Gaza to feed the entire population for three months. Adding; “There are also over 660,000 children eagerly waiting to go back to school.. with UNRWA teachers ready to help them rebuild their lives.”   UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk urged all States to ensure that the ceasefire is implemented in good faith. “All action going forward must be guided by the immediate goals of ending the killing, starvation and destruction,” he said. Mr. Turk called for a “comprehensive process of transitional justice” to ensure accountability for gross human rights violations.   http://news.un.org/en/story/2025/10/1166066 http://www.unocha.org/news/un-relief-chief-outlines-60-day-plan-deliver-vital-aid-after-gaza-ceasefire http://www.ochaopt.org/publications http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/10/turk-says-ceasefire-plan-must-lead-permanent-end-hostilities-full http://www.unrwa.org/newsroom/official-statements/unrwa-commissioner-general-gaza-agreement-finally-secure-ceasefire-gaza http://www.unrwa.org/two-years-too-long http://news.un.org/en/tags/gaza   Two Years of Devastation: A Ceasefire brings Hope, but Urgent Aid and Recovery are needed in Gaza. (Mercy Corps, agencies)   "The announcement of a ceasefire in Gaza brings a desperately needed moment of respite after two years of relentless bombardment and humanitarian collapse. While the fighting may stop, the suffering continues. Entire neighborhoods lie in ruins; families remain displaced, people are hungry, and basic services are non-existent.   Gaza is in ruins, and the humanitarian toll is staggering: more than 67,000 people killed and over 169,000 injured or permanently disabled; nearly the entire population displaced; 90% of homes damaged or destroyed; and famine confirmed and spreading. The devastation runs deeper than the numbers: it is visible in the haunted faces of children, the silence of collapsed neighborhoods, and the heartbreak of families torn apart forever.   Tjada D’Oyen McKenna, Mercy Corps Chief Executive Officer:   "We welcome any step that opens the door to increased humanitarian access in Gaza and the release of all deceased and alive hostages, in captivity for two years. The ceasefire is a vital first step, but there is still a mountain to climb. Without a sustained flow of aid and the immediate restoration and reconstruction of essential services, people will continue to struggle to survive amid ongoing famine and malnutrition, and the humanitarian crisis will only deepen.   “The ceasefire is a critical step but now we must urgently surge in immediate, consistent, and safe delivery of life-saving aid: clean water, medicine, nutritious food, and a full re-opening of commercial supplies and cash assistance to rebuild a sense of normalcy. This is a chance for people who have been forced into the most depraved of conditions and circumstances to stabilize, grieve, and reconnect with their communities.   Alongside the delivery of aid, restoring essential services and rebuilding hospitals, schools, and shelters is vital. It is a first step toward helping families rebuild their lives when so many have no home left to return to.   All humanitarian actors need to be allowed to deliver vital aid. Humanitarian organizations urgently need unfettered access, guarantees of safety for aid workers, predictable and sustained entry points for supplies, and functioning communication and transport networks to reach people in need.   “We call on all parties to ensure this ceasefire holds and to prevent any return to the violence that has caused unimaginable loss and suffering for two years. All parties must immediately create conditions for a surge in aid delivery and repairs to critical infrastructure. This is the first step toward ending this catastrophe, we must keep moving forward.”   http://www.mercycorps.org/press-room/releases/gaza-ceasefire-urgent-aid-recovery-humanitarian http://www.nrc.no/news/2025/october/gaza-ceasefire-must-mark-end-to-two-years-of-death-and-starvation http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/statement-unicef-executive-director-catherine-russell-ceasefire-gaza-strip http://www.savethechildren.net/news/pause-hostilities-crucial-relief-children-gaza-now-it-must-become-definitive-and-lasting http://plan-international.org/news/2025/10/09/gaza-ceasefire-will-save-lives-but-aid-and-lasting-peace-must-urgently-follow/ http://www.msf.org/ceasefire-gaza-humanitarian-aid-must-flow-immediately http://www.icrc.org/en/article/israel-and-occupied-territories-civilian-suffering-gaza-devastating-scale-after-two-years http://www.un.org/unispal/document/unog-press-briefing-14oct25/ http://theconversation.com/with-83-of-its-buildings-destroyed-gaza-needs-more-than-money-to-rebuild-267431 http://unosat.org/products/4205   7 Oct. 2025   Two years of hellish war have devastated Gaza’s children, by Catherine Russell - UNICEF Executive Director:   "For more than 700 days, children in Gaza have been killed, maimed, and displaced in a devastating war that is an affront to our shared humanity. Israeli strikes on Gaza City and other parts of the Gaza Strip continue. The world cannot, and must not, allow this to go on.   “In the last two years, a staggering 64,000 children have reportedly been killed or maimed across the Gaza Strip, including at least 1,000 babies. We don’t know how many more have died due to preventable illnesses or are buried under the rubble.   “Famine persists in Gaza City and is spreading to the south, where children are already living in dire conditions. The crisis of malnutrition, especially among infants, remains shocking. Months without adequate food have caused lasting harm to children’s growth and development.   “The need for a ceasefire could not be more urgent. Since Saturday morning, at least 14 children have reportedly been killed, as intense bombing and shelling by Israel continue to hit Gaza City and other areas.   “UNICEF welcomes all efforts to end the war and chart a path towards peace in Gaza and the region. Any plan must lead to a ceasefire, the release of hostages, and the safe, rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief - through all available crossings and routes - at the scale desperately needed by all Gazans, especially children.   “International humanitarian law is clear: we call on Israel to ensure the full protection of the lives of all civilians. Denying humanitarian assistance to civilians is unequivocally prohibited. The principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution must guide all military actions and civilians who cannot, do not, or choose not to evacuate combat areas remain civilians and must always be protected.   “Every child killed is an irreplaceable loss. For the sake of all children in Gaza, this war must end now.”   World Health Organization spokesperson Christian Lindmeier said over 10,000 children in Gaza have been diagnosed with acute malnutrition in the past two months, warning the true toll is likely much higher, as many families in overcrowded shelters cannot reach clinics or hospitals. “Famine is now spreading south as people flee renewed fighting,” he said.   Tom Fletcher, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator:   "Two years on since Hamas and other armed groups carried out those abhorrent attacks targeting civilians in Israel, as I’ve seen and heard from meeting the survivors and the families of those taken, the pain is indescribable. Today, I renew my call for the unconditional, immediate release of all the hostages – and until then, they must be treated humanely.   Civilians everywhere have to be protected. Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed. Hundreds of thousands endure starvation and displacement. So we once again renew the call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, for all civilians to be protected, and for humanitarian aid to flow freely at the scale that is desperately needed".   Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of the UN aid agency for Palestinians, UNRWA, said that Gazans have lived through “two long years of destruction, displacement, bombardment, fear, death and hunger”.   He called for the release of all hostages and Palestinian detainees, an immediate ceasefire and for the unfettered delivery of humanitarian supplies at scale, including through UNRWA. He also urged accountability for atrocities committed on and after 7 October 2023.   More than 1,250 Israelis and foreign nationals were killed in the terror attacks by Hamas and other armed groups on 7 October 2023 and more than 250 others were taken hostage. More than 66,000 Palestinians have subsequently been killed in the war in Gaza, according to local health authorities.   http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/two-years-hellish-war-have-devastated-gazas-children http://reliefweb.int/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/gaza-unrwas-lancet-study-reveals-alarming-surge-child-malnutrition-underscores-ipc-famine-confirmation-enar http://www.icrc.org/en/article/two-years-7-october-hostages-must-come-home http://www.icrc.org/en/article/gaza-two-years-statement-sarah-avrillaud   23 Aug. 2025   Gaza Strip: Famine confirmed in Gaza Governorate, projected to expand (IPC)   As of 15 August 2025, Famine (IPC Phase 5)—with reasonable evidence—is confirmed in Gaza Governorate. After 22 months of relentless conflict, over half a million people in the Gaza Strip are facing catastrophic conditions characterised by starvation, destitution and death. Another 1.07 million people (54 percent) are in Emergency (IPC Phase 4), and 396,000 people (20 percent) are in Crisis (IPC Phase 3).   Between mid-August and the end of September 2025, conditions are expected to further worsen with Famine projected to expand to Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis. Nearly a third of the population (641,000 people) are expected to face catastrophic conditions (IPC Phase 5), while those in Emergency (IPC Phase 4) will likely rise to 1.14 million (58 percent). Acute malnutrition is projected to continue worsening rapidly.   Through June 2026, at least 132,000 children under five are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition—double the IPC estimates from May 2025. This includes over 41,000 severe cases of children at heightened risk of death. Nearly 55,500 malnourished pregnant and breastfeeding women will also require urgent nutrition response.   Despite limited data, conditions in North Gaza Governorate are estimated to be as severe—or worse—than in Gaza Governorate.   http://www.ipcinfo.org/ipcinfo-website/countries-in-focus-archive/issue-134/en/   Remarks on Gaza at the UN press briefing by Tom Fletcher, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. (Geneva, 22 August 2025):   "Please read the IPC report, cover to cover. Read it in sorrow and in anger. Not as words and numbers but as names and lives. Be in no doubt that this is irrefutable testimony. It is a famine. The Gaza Famine.   It is a famine that we could have prevented, if we had been allowed. Yet food stacks up at borders because of systematic obstruction by Israel. It is a famine within a few hundred metres of food, in a fertile land.   It is a famine that hits the most vulnerable first. Each with a name, each with a story. That strips people of dignity before it strips them of life. That forces a parent to choose which child to feed. That forces people to risk their lives to seek food.   It is a famine that we repeatedly warned of. But that the international media has not been allowed in to cover. To bear witness.   It is a famine in 2025. A 21st century famine watched over by drones and the most advanced military technology in history. It is a famine openly promoted by some Israeli leaders as a weapon of war.   It is a famine on all of our watch. Everyone owns this. The Gaza Famine is the world’s famine. It is a famine that asks ‘but what did you do?’ A famine that will and must haunt us all.   It is a predictable and a preventable famine. A famine caused by cruelty, justified by revenge, enabled by indifference and sustained by complicity.   It is a famine that must spur the world to more urgent action. That must shame the world to do better. It is a famine that therefore also asks ‘… and what now will you do?’   My ask, my plea, my demand to Prime Minister Netanyahu and anyone who can reach him: Enough. Ceasefire. Open the crossings, north and south, all of them. Let us get food and other supplies in, unimpeded and at the massive scale required. End the retribution. It is too late for far too many. But not for everyone in Gaza. Enough. For humanity’s sake, let us in".   http://www.unocha.org/news/un-relief-chief-says-gaza-famine-must-spur-world-urgent-action http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/famine-confirmed-first-time-gaza http://www.wfp.org/news/famine-confirmed-first-time-gaza http://news.un.org/en/story/2025/08/1165702 http://www.savethechildren.net/news/children-starved-plain-sight-famine-confirmed-gaza-save-children http://www.care.org/media-and-press/famine-confirmed-in-gaza-as-assault-on-gaza-city-looms/ http://www.rescue.org/press-release/all-famine-thresholds-now-surpassed-gaza-city-irc-urges-government-israel-enable-aid http://reliefweb.int/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/un-human-rights-occupied-palestinian-territory-israeli-plan-take-full-control-gaza-city-will-lead-further-killings-and-displacement http://www.nrc.no/news/2025/september/emptying-gaza-city-drives-civilians-into-starvation-and-forcible-transfer http://www.msf.org/doctors-cannot-stop-genocide-world-leaders-can http://www.ochaopt.org/content/when-gaza-burned-children-starved-hospitals-collapsed-did-you-act http://www.ochaopt.org/content/humanitarian-situation-update-321-gaza-strip   8 Aug. 2025   UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed grave concern over Israel’s decision to “take control of Gaza City”, his Spokesperson said in a statement on Friday.   The announcement following an Israeli cabinet meeting “risks deepening the already catastrophic consequences for millions of Palestinians, and could further endanger more lives, including of the remaining hostages,” it said.   The statement noted that Palestinians in Gaza continue to endure a humanitarian catastrophe.   The UN chief warned that this further escalation will result in additional forced displacement, killings and massive destruction, compounding the unimaginable suffering of the population.   He reiterated his urgent appeal for a permanent ceasefire, unimpeded humanitarian access across Gaza, and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.   “The Secretary-General once again strongly urges the Government of Israel to abide by its obligations under international law,” the statement continued.   Meanwhile, civilians continue to be killed and wounded in Gaza, where even basic tasks such as finding food and water have become impossible, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in an update.   "The devastating convergence of a hunger crisis, a collapsing healthcare system, widespread destruction of critical infrastructure and nearly two years of war is having a catastrophic toll on people, particularly on the most vulnerable".   "Aid entering into Gaza remains far below the minimum required to meet people’s immense needs. The UN and its humanitarian partners continue to try to do everything possible to bring assistance inside Gaza. However, missions continue to face significant delays and other impediments that prevent the UN from delivering aid at scale".   OCHA reiterates it is imperative that aid is allowed to enter through all crossings and via all available corridors into Gaza so that the UN and its partners can deliver it at scale in a safe and dignified manner through their community-based mechanisms, reaching the most vulnerable.   OCHA continues to stress the urgency of a permanent ceasefire, to provide adequate assistance and aid to the desperate population in Gaza and to call for the immediate and unconditional release of hostages".   Volker Turk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said: "On all evidence to date, this further escalation will result in more massive forced displacement, more killing, more suffering, senseless destruction and atrocity crimes. The war in Gaza must end now. And Israelis and Palestinians must be allowed to live side by side in peace.   Instead of intensifying this war, the Israeli Government should put all its efforts into saving the lives of Gaza’s civilians by allowing the full, unfettered flow of humanitarian aid. The hostages must be immediately and unconditionally released by Palestinian armed groups. Palestinians arbitrarily detained by Israel must also be immediately and unconditionally released".   In Israel, tens of thousands of protestors have taken to the streets demanding an immediate end to the war in Gaza, and negotiations to secure the immediate release of the remaining Israeli hostages held in Gaza.   http://news.un.org/en/story/2025/08/1165612 http://www.unocha.org/news/ocha-urges-security-council-summon-courage-end-inhumanity-gaza http://www.unocha.org/news/todays-top-news-occupied-palestinian-territory-ukraine-democratic-republic-congo-mozambique http://theelders.org/news/elders-call-decisive-measures-states-halt-unfolding-genocide-and-famine-gaza http://www.ips-journal.eu/topics/foreign-and-security-policy/the-death-of-eu-values-in-gaza-8470 http://civiliansinconflict.org/press-releases/civic-and-more-than-80-organizations-call-on-us-congress-to-uphold-us-law-and-suspend-security-assistance-to-israel/ http://www.ipcinfo.org/ipcinfo-website/countries-in-focus-archive/issue-133/en/ http://www.nrc.no/news/2025/july/as-mass-starvation-spreads-across-gaza-our-colleagues-and-those-we-serve-are-wasting-away http://www.warchild.net/news/in-gaza-starvation-doesnt-just-kill/ http://www.unocha.org/news/un-relief-chief-warns-security-council-erosion-rules-war-gaza-demands-urgent-response http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/unicef-executive-director-catherine-russells-remarks-humanitarian-situation-children http://www.crisisgroup.org/middle-east-north-africa/east-mediterranean-mena/israelpalestine/open-gates-save-starving-gaza http://www.crisisgroup.org/middle-east-north-africa/east-mediterranean-mena/israelpalestine/walking-corpses   June 2025   UN General Assembly adopts Gaza ceasefire resolution. (UN News)   Meeting in emergency session, the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly adopted a resolution demanding an immediate, unconditional and lasting ceasefire in Gaza.   The move followed the Security Council’s failure to pass a similar resolution last week due to a lone veto by permanent member the United States.   The resolution was backed by 149 Member States, with 12 voting against and 19 abstaining. Among those opposing the resolution were the United States and Israel, who were joined among others by Argentina, Hungary and Paraguay.   End starvation as weapon of war   Brought forward by over 20 countries, it strongly condemns the use of starvation as a weapon of war, demands a full lifting of the Israeli blockade on humanitarian aid, and insists on the protection of civilians under international law.   Although General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, they carry significant political and moral weight.   On 4 June, the Security Council failed to adopt its draft resolution after a veto by the United States, a permanent member.   Meanwhile, famine conditions continue to threaten lives across Gaza, and reports persist of civilians being killed or injured while trying to access food at distribution points operated independently of the UN but supported by Israel and the US.   UN General Assembly President Philemon Yang said that “the horrors in Gaza must end” after 20 months of war. He criticised the Security Council’s ongoing paralysis and inability to fulfil its core responsibility to uphold peace and security.   He called the situation on the ground “unacceptable”, highlighting the deprivation of food, water and medicine for civilians, the continued captivity of hostages, and the need for urgent international action.   Key elements of the resolution:   Ceasefire: Calls for an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire by all parties.   Hostages: Demands the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas and other armed groups.   Implementation: Urges the full and immediate implementation of Security Council resolution 2735 (2024), including the ceasefire, hostage and prisoner exchanges, return of displaced persons, and withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.   International law: Reaffirms that all parties must uphold international humanitarian and human rights law, with particular attention to civilian protection and accountability for violations.   Starvation as a weapon: Strongly condemns the use of starvation and the denial of aid as tactics of war.   Humanitarian access: Demands the full, safe and unimpeded delivery of aid – including food, medicine, water, shelter and fuel – throughout Gaza.   Detention practices: Calls for the humane treatment and release of those arbitrarily detained, and the return of remains.   ICJ advisory opinion: Recalls the request for an urgent advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice on Israel’s obligations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.   End of blockade: Demands Israel immediately lift the blockade on Gaza and open all border crossings for aid deliveries.   Accountability: Urges Member States to take necessary steps to ensure Israel complies with its international legal obligations.   UN and humanitarian personnel: Calls for full respect for the work and immunity of UN staff and humanitarian workers.   Protection of aid workers: Urges both humanitarian and UN bodies to ensure the safety of their personnel.   Medical neutrality: Underscores the duty to protect medical workers, health facilities, and transport routes.   http://www.ipcinfo.org/ipcinfo-website/countries-in-focus-archive/issue-133/en/ http://www.savethechildren.net/news/mass-starvation-spreads-across-gaza-more-100-ngos-make-urgent-plea-allow-life-saving-aid http://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/07/as-mass-starvation-spreads-across-gaza-our-colleagues-and-those-we-serve-are-wasting-away http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/statement-unicef-regional-director-middle-east-and-north-africa-edouard-beigbeder-3 http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/un-agencies-warn-key-food-and-nutrition-indicators-exceed-famine-thresholds-gaza http://www.icrc.org/en/statement/israel-and-occupied-territories-icrc-president-calls-urgent-collective-action-states-end-suffering   http://news.un.org/en/story/2025/06/1164346 http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/more-5000-children-diagnosed-malnutrition-gaza-strip-may http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/gazas-taps-running-dry-fuel-crisis-deepens-daily-struggle-families http://news.un.org/en/story/2025/06/1164656 http://www.ochaopt.org/content/humanitarian-situation-update-297-gaza-strip http://www.ochaopt.org/publications   May 2025   Gaza Strip: IPC Acute Food Insecurity and Acute Malnutrition Special Snapshot | April - September 2025   Nineteen months into the conflict, the Gaza Strip is still confronted with a critical risk of Famine. Over 60 days have passed since all humanitarian aid and commercial supplies were blocked from entering the territory. Goods indispensable for people’s survival are either depleted or expected to run out in the coming weeks. The entire population is facing high levels of acute food insecurity, with half a million people (one in five) facing starvation.   From 11 May to the end of September 2025, the whole territory is classified in Emergency (IPC Phase 4), with the entire population expected to face Crisis or worse acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above).   This includes 470,000 people (22 percent of the population) in Catastrophe (IPC Phase 5), over a million people (54 percent) in Emergency (IPC Phase 4) and the remaining half million (24 percent) in Crisis (IPC Phase 3).   This marks a significant deterioration compared to the previous IPC analysis (released in October 2024) and the already dire conditions detected between 1 April - 10 May 2025. During this time, 1.95 million people (93 percent) were classified in Crisis or worse (IPC Phase 3 or above), including 244,000 people (12 percent) in IPC Phase 5 (Catastrophe) and 925,000 (44 percent) in IPC Phase 4 (Emergency).   Between 1 April and 10 May, acute malnutrition (AMN) was at Alert and Serious levels (IPC AMN Phase 2 and 3). However, experience has shown that acute malnutrition can worsen rapidly, and latest data indicate a deteriorating trend that is expected to persist. Consequently, acute malnutrition in North Gaza, Gaza and Rafah governorates will likely reach Critical levels (IPC AMN Phase 4) between 11 May and end of September.   Between mid-January and mid-March 2025, the ceasefire allowed a temporary alleviation of acute food insecurity and malnutrition conditions in parts of the Gaza Strip. However, the ongoing blockade imposed in early March reversed the situation. Since 18 March, the escalating conflict has displaced over 430,000 people, further disrupted access to humanitarian assistance, markets, health, water and sanitation services, and caused additional damage to remaining essential infrastructure.   All 25 bakeries supported by the World Food Programme (WFP) closed at the beginning of April due to lack of supplies, and food stocks for most of the 177 hot meal kitchens are reportedly exhausted.   All preventive nutrition supplies have run out in UNICEF and WFP warehouses. Food prices are soaring daily, with wheat flour ranging from USD $235 per 25 kg in Deir al-Balah to USD $520 in Gaza and Khan Younis - a 3,000 percent increase since February 2025. Latest data show many households resorting to extreme coping strategies. A third reported collecting garbage to sell for food, while a quarter indicated that no valuable garbage remains. Observations reveal that social order is breaking down.   The plan announced on 5 May by Israeli authorities for delivering food and non-food items across the governorates is estimated to be highly insufficient to meet the population’s essential needs for food, water, shelter and medicine.   Moreover, the proposed distribution mechanisms are likely to create significant access barriers for large segments of the population. In light of the announced large-scale military operation across the Gaza Strip and the persistent inability of humanitarian agencies to deliver essential goods and services, there is a high risk that Famine (IPC Phase 5) will occur in the projection period (11 May – 30 September). The latest announcements suggest that this worst-case scenario is becoming more likely.   Immediate action is essential to prevent further deaths, starvation and acute malnutrition, and a descent into Famine. This entails ending hostilities, ensuring unrestricted humanitarian access, restoring essential services and commercial flows, and providing sufficient lifesaving assistance to all in need.   http://www.ipcinfo.org/ipcinfo-website/countries-in-focus-archive/issue-124/en/ http://www.wfp.org/news/risk-famine-across-all-gaza-new-report-says http://www.unocha.org/news/un-relief-chief-calls-security-council-act-decisively-prevent-genocide-gaza http://www.unicef.org/emergencies/children-gaza-need-lifesaving-support http://www.who.int/news/item/12-05-2025-people-in-gaza-starving--sick-and-dying-as-aid-blockade-continues http://www.unocha.org/news/briefing-note-un-coordinated-plan-resume-humanitarian-aid-deliveries-gaza http://reliefweb.int/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/joint-donor-statement-humanitarian-aid-gaza   http://theelders.org/news/elders-call-collective-action-governments-end-palestinian-suffering-gaza http://www.hrw.org/news/2025/06/19/joint-statement-on-the-eu-israel-association-agreement-review http://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/news/2025/05/un-women-estimates-over-28000-women-and-girls-killed-in-gaza-since-october-2023 http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/05/turk-deplores-gaza-escalation-pleads-global-action-stop-more-killings http://reliefweb.int/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/bond-responds-uk-france-canada-statement-and-joint-donor-statement-gaza http://www.oxfam.org/en/press-releases/oxfam-reaction-announcement-israel-will-allow-limited-amount-aid-gaza http://cafod.org.uk/news/media/press-releases/gaza-food-supplies http://actionagainsthunger.ca/story/avert-humanitarian-catastrophe-gaza/   2 May 2025   UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell on the situation for children in the Gaza Strip after two months of aid blockade:   “For two months, children in the Gaza Strip have faced relentless bombardments while being deprived of essential goods, services and lifesaving care. With each passing day of the aid blockade, they face the growing risk of starvation, illness and death – nothing can justify this.   “Families are struggling to survive. They are trapped, unable to flee in search of safety. The land they used to farm has been destroyed. The sea they used for fishing has been restricted. Bakeries are closing, water production is declining, and market shelves are almost bare. Humanitarian aid has provided the only lifeline for children, and now it is close to running out.   “In the past month, over 75 per cent of households have reported deteriorating access to water – they don’t have enough water to drink, are unable to wash their hands when needed, and often forced to choose between showering, cleaning, and cooking.   “Vaccines are quickly running out and diseases are spreading – especially acute watery diarrhoea, which now accounts for 1 in every 4 cases of disease recorded in Gaza. Most of these cases are among children under five, for whom it is life-threatening.   “Malnutrition is also on the rise. More than 9,000 children have been admitted for treatment of acute malnutrition since the beginning of the year. Hundreds more children in desperate need of treatment are not able to access it due to the insecurity and displacement.   “International humanitarian law requires authorities to ensure that the population under their control is treated humanely. This not only includes ensuring that civilians have the food, medicine, and essential supplies they need, but also ensuring sufficient hygiene and public health standards. All parties to the conflict must allow and facilitate the rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian assistance. And they must allow and facilitate all relevant UN entities to carry out those activities for the benefit of the local population.   “UNICEF remains in the Gaza Strip, doing what we can to support and protect children. But the aid blockade and more than 18 months of war are pushing Gaza’s children to the brink. We reiterate our call for the aid blockade to be lifted, for the entry of commercial goods into Gaza, for the release of the hostages, and for the protection of all children.”   http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/statement-unicef-executive-director-catherine-russell-situation-children-gaza-strip http://www.ipcinfo.org/ipcinfo-website/countries-in-focus-archive/issue-124/en/ http://www.unocha.org/publications/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/humanitarian-situation-update-286-gaza-strip http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/05/gaza-un-anti-racism-committee-decries-halt-food-aid-urges-immediate http://www.ohchr.org/en/media-centre/news-situation-occupied-palestinian-territory-israel-and-lebanon Visit the related web page
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