The confirmation of famine in Gaza is a tragedy that "will and must haunt us all", said Tom Fletcher, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator on Friday at a press briefing. Prior to his remarks, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), a UN-backed system responsible for determining famine status, confirmed on Friday that famine is currently occurring in Gaza and is projected to spread to Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis cities in the coming weeks. At the press briefing in Geneva, Fletcher called on the media to read the IPC report, cover to cover. He also emphasized the urgency and gravity of the situation, highlighting the devastating reality outlined in the report. "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. This is a moment of collective shame," he said. More than half a million people in Gaza are facing famine conditions marked by starvation and preventable deaths, according to the latest IPC released on Friday. The assessment, conducted by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the United Nations International Children's Emergency 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, over 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. The video shows: Geneva, Switzerland - April 11, 2025 (UNifeed - No access Chinese mainland/Not for sale) 1. Flags at entrance to Palace of Nations Geneva, Switzerland - Aug 22, 2025 (UNTV - For news purpose only/No archive/Not for other production use) 2. Tom Fletcher (R), Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Coordinator, at press briefing 3. SOUNDBITE (English) Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Coordinator (partially overlaid with shot 4): "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. This is a moment of collective shame." ++SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++ Gaza City, Gaza Strip - July 22, 2025 (CGTN - No access Chinese mainland) 4. Various of patients suffering from malnutrition lying in beds in Al Shifa Hospital ++SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++ Gaza Strip - July 21, 2025 (CGTN - No access Chinese mainland) 5. Various of Palestinians scrambling for food at distribution site Gaza City, Gaza Strip - March 12, 2024 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland) 6. Children banging pots, pans to protest against food shortage 7. Child holding placard reading (in English) "We are starving. Do you hear us?"