Hunger crisis deepens in global hotspots as famine risk rises, UN warns
ROME — Extreme hunger is intensifying in 13 global hot spots, with Gaza, Sudan, South Sudan, Haiti and Mali at immediate risk of famine without urgent humanitarian intervention, a joint United Nations report warned on Monday.
The "Hunger Hotspots" report by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Food Programme (WFP) blamed conflict, economic shocks, and climate-related hazards for conditions in the worst-hit areas.
The report predicts food crises in the next five months. It called for investment and help to ensure aid delivery, which it said was being undermined by insecurity and funding gaps.
"This report is a red alert. We know where hunger is rising and we know who is at risk," said WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain. "Without funding and access, we cannot save lives."
For famine to be declared, at least 20% of the population in an area must be suffering extreme food shortages, with 30% of children acutely malnourished and two people out of every 10,000 dying daily from starvation or malnutrition and disease.
In Sudan, where famine was confirmed in 2024, the crisis is expected to persist due to conflict and displacement, with almost 25 million people at risk.
South Sudan, hit by flooding and political instability, could see up to 7.7 million people in crisis, with 63,000 in famine-like conditions, the report said.
In Gaza, Israel's continued military operations and blockade have left the entire population of 2.1 million people facing acute food insecurity, with nearly half a million at risk of famine by the end of September, the report said.
In Haiti, escalating gang violence has displaced thousands, with 8,400 already facing catastrophic hunger, while in Mali conflict and high grain prices put 2,600 people at risk of starvation by the end of August.
Other countries of high concern include Yemen, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar, and Nigeria.
"Protecting people's farms and animals to ensure they can keep producing food where they are, even in the toughest and harshest conditions, is not just urgent—it is essential," said FAO Director-General QU Dongyu.
Some countries such as Ethiopia, Kenya, and Lebanon, have shown improvements and been removed from the FAO and WFP's Hunger Hotspots list. — Reuters
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a day ago
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Hunger crisis deepens in global hotspots as famine risk rises, UN warns
ROME — Extreme hunger is intensifying in 13 global hot spots, with Gaza, Sudan, South Sudan, Haiti and Mali at immediate risk of famine without urgent humanitarian intervention, a joint United Nations report warned on Monday. The "Hunger Hotspots" report by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Food Programme (WFP) blamed conflict, economic shocks, and climate-related hazards for conditions in the worst-hit areas. The report predicts food crises in the next five months. It called for investment and help to ensure aid delivery, which it said was being undermined by insecurity and funding gaps. "This report is a red alert. We know where hunger is rising and we know who is at risk," said WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain. "Without funding and access, we cannot save lives." For famine to be declared, at least 20% of the population in an area must be suffering extreme food shortages, with 30% of children acutely malnourished and two people out of every 10,000 dying daily from starvation or malnutrition and disease. In Sudan, where famine was confirmed in 2024, the crisis is expected to persist due to conflict and displacement, with almost 25 million people at risk. South Sudan, hit by flooding and political instability, could see up to 7.7 million people in crisis, with 63,000 in famine-like conditions, the report said. In Gaza, Israel's continued military operations and blockade have left the entire population of 2.1 million people facing acute food insecurity, with nearly half a million at risk of famine by the end of September, the report said. In Haiti, escalating gang violence has displaced thousands, with 8,400 already facing catastrophic hunger, while in Mali conflict and high grain prices put 2,600 people at risk of starvation by the end of August. Other countries of high concern include Yemen, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar, and Nigeria. "Protecting people's farms and animals to ensure they can keep producing food where they are, even in the toughest and harshest conditions, is not just urgent—it is essential," said FAO Director-General QU Dongyu. Some countries such as Ethiopia, Kenya, and Lebanon, have shown improvements and been removed from the FAO and WFP's Hunger Hotspots list. — Reuters
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UN urges stronger HIV response as cases among Filipino youth surge by 500%
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At least 27 Palestinians killed near Gaza aid site; UN demands investigation
A mourner looks on near the body of Reem Zidan, a Palestinian killed by Israeli fire near a distribution site in Rafah, at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, June 3, 2025. REUTERS/ Hatem Khaled CAIRO/JERUSALEM — At least 27 Palestinians were killed and dozens wounded by Israeli fire near a food distribution site in southern Gaza on Tuesday, health officials said, in a third day running of chaos and bloodshed to blight the aid operation. The Israeli military said its forces had opened fire on a group of people they viewed as a threat after they left a designated access route near the distribution center in Rafah and approached their positions. It added it was still investigating what had happened. The deaths came hours after Israel said three of its soldiers had been killed in fighting in northern Gaza, as its forces pushed ahead with a months-long offensive against Hamas militants that has laid much of the enclave to waste. Reuters could not independently verify the reports in northern and southern Gaza. An International Committee of the Red Cross spokesperson said its field hospital in Rafah had received 184 casualties, adding that 19 of those were dead upon arrival, and eight died of their wounds shortly after. Video showed injured people, including at least one woman, being rushed to a medical center on carts drawn by donkeys. Health officials said at least 18 more Palestinians were killed in other military strikes in the territory on Tuesday. The United Nations human rights office in Geneva said on Tuesday the impediment of access to food relief for civilians in Gaza might constitute a war crime and described attacks on people trying to access food aid as "unconscionable." The head of the UN agency, Volker Turk, urged a prompt and impartial investigation into the killings. Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer denied that civilians had been targeted. "The IDF is doing everything in its power to allow Gazans to get to the humanitarian aid. The IDF is not preventing the arrival of Gazans at humanitarian aid sites. Indeed, we are encouraging it," Mencer said. Pandemonium The US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation launched its first distribution sites last week in an effort to alleviate widespread hunger amongst Gaza's 2.3 million population, most of whom have been forced to abandon their homes to flee fighting. The Foundation's operation, which bypasses traditional aid groups, has been fiercely criticised by the United Nations and established charities which say it does not follow humanitarian principles. The private group, which is endorsed by Israel, said it had distributed 21 truckloads of food early on Tuesday and stressed that the reported violence had not happened within its site. "This was an area well beyond our secure distribution site and control. We recognize the difficult nature of the situation and advise all civilians to remain in the safe corridor when traveling to our distribution sites." Palestinians who collected food boxes on Tuesday described scenes of pandemonium, with no-one overseeing the handover of supplies or checking IDs, as crowds jostled for provisions. "It is complete chaos and humiliation, and people have no choice but to keep coming because there is no food in Gaza," said one Palestinian, who declined to be named, adding he was lucky to have survived the shootings. Mass evacuations On Sunday, Palestinian and international officials said at least 31 people were killed and dozens more injured. On Monday, three Palestinians were reportedly killed by Israeli fire. The Israeli military has called reports of deaths during Sunday's distribution "fabrications" by Hamas. The military issued new evacuation orders for several districts of Khan Younis in southern Gaza late on Monday, telling residents to move west towards the Mawasi humanitarian area and warning that the army would act forcefully against militants in those areas. Palestinian and United Nations officials say there are no safe areas in Gaza. The territory's health ministry said the new evacuation orders could halt work at the Nasser Hospital, the largest, still-functioning medical facility in the south. Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza following the October 7, 2023 assault in which Hamas-led gunmen killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages, by Israeli tallies. In the subsequent fighting, more than 54,000 Palestinians have been killed, local health authorities say. Meanwhile, recent efforts to secure a ceasefire appear to have stalled. Israel has said it accepts a US-backed temporary truce to release hostages, while Hamas wants a permanent end to the war and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. — Reuters
