More than half a million people in Gaza are facing famine conditions marked by starvation and preventable deaths, according to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report released on Friday. The assessment, conducted by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Health Organization (WHO), said famine in Gaza City is now spreading southward to Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis. By the end of September, more than 640,000 people are projected to face catastrophic food insecurity, with an additional 1.14 million at emergency levels and nearly 400,000 in crisis conditions. The report confirmed that thresholds for extreme food deprivation, acute malnutrition and hunger-related deaths have been breached, marking the first officially declared famine in the Middle East since the IPC was established. UN agencies warned that intensified military operations and ongoing restrictions on humanitarian access could further exacerbate the crisis, leaving children, the elderly and people with disabilities at extreme risk. They stressed that an immediate ceasefire and a large-scale humanitarian response are essential to saving lives. The analysis showed that acute child malnutrition has reached record levels, with more than 12,000 children identified in July alone - a sixfold increase since January. By mid-2026, some 43,400 children and 55,000 pregnant or breastfeeding women are expected to face life-threatening malnutrition. Nearly all cropland in Gaza has been destroyed or rendered inaccessible, while aid deliveries remain sporadic and insufficient. The enclave's health system has collapsed amid severe shortages of food, fuel, water and medical supplies, compounded by a surge in infectious diseases. The UN agencies called for urgent measures, including sustained humanitarian access, restoration of commercial flows, rehabilitation of health services and support for local food production to prevent further catastrophe. Also on Friday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that famine is a man-made disaster that cannot be allowed to continue with impunity. He urged an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the immediate release of all detained people, and full and unrestricted humanitarian access to the war-torn region. Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, meanwhile, said Friday that the newly released IPC report was fabricated by Hamas to discredit Israel and insisted there is no famine in Gaza. In response, Hamas issued a statement, saying Israel’s denial of famine was intended to cover up the deaths and hunger in Gaza. Hamas called on the UN and the Security Council to take immediate action to end the war and lift the blockade of the Gaza Strip. It also called for Israel to be held legally accountable for using starvation as a method of warfare, calling it a "war crime and genocide." The video shows: FILE: UN Headquarters, New York City - Date Unknown 1. United Nations headquarters 2. UN flag FILE: UN Headquarters, New York City - July 24, 2024 3. UN headquarters, river FILE: Gaza City, Gaza Strip - July 22, 2025 4. Various of patients suffering from malnutrition lying in beds in Al Shifa Hospital FILE: Gaza City, Gaza Strip - July 19, 2025 5. Various of patient suffering from severe malnutrition lying in bed; mother crying FILE: Gaza Strip - July 21, 2025 6. Various of Palestinians scrambling for food at distribution site FILE: Gaza City, Gaza Strip - March 12, 2024 7. Children banging pots, pans to protest against food shortage 8. Child holding placard reading (in English) "We are starving. Do you hear us?" FILE: Tel Aviv, Israel - June 2021 9. National flags of Israel FILE: Israel - Nov 1, 2022 10. Israeli Parliament Knesset [Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland]