News of the declaration of famine in Gaza by a UN body sparked mixed reactions among Gaza residents. This came just a few hours after the announcement, which carried serious implications for the humanitarian situation.
On Friday morning, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) – the body responsible for assessing malnutrition – officially announced the famine, with Gaza being ranked fifth, the highest on the scale of acute food insecurity.
Somayeh Kafarna, a Palestinian woman with cancer, says the declaration of famine makes her feel "the end is near." "I’ve had health problems for a long time, but after this statement, I feel like I’m going to die of hunger, not disease."
She lives with her husband and five children in a destroyed house and says they rely on a small package of lentils and pieces of bread daily to survive.
"We only have a can of lentils and some pieces of bread, which we heat up and share during the day, and then we stay without food until the next day," says Somayeh, who lost a lot of weight and now weighs 32kg from 75kg before the war began in 2023.
Khawla Shabat, who lives in the same house with Somayeh, says the declaration of famine will not change the reality of the population in Gaza. "We suffer daily. What does it mean to declare famine? Nothing! It is just propaganda. Hunger has been here for a long time."
"We live on what’s left of a bottle of lentils or cowpeas and share it among ourselves. If we’re lucky, we can provide a bottle of sugar and some tea."
A child suffering from severe malnutrition.
