Prime Minister Mustafa declares Gaza a famine zone; holds Israeli occupation fully responsible

RAMALLAH, May 7, 2025 (Prime Minister's Office) - Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa declared today, Wednesday, that the Gaza Strip is officially a famine zone.

In a press conference on the worsening humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, held with the participation of the Government Operations Room for Emergency Interventions in the Gaza Strip teams, Prime Minister Mustafa warned:

“Documented reports by international and UN organizations, on-the-ground indicators, widespread hunger and thirst, the tiny and emaciated bodies of children, and the cries of pain echoing from the tents of the displaced and the rubble of homes and hospitals — all point to one undeniable truth: Gaza is now a famine zone."

“We hold Israel, the occupying Power, fully responsible for this deliberate humanitarian catastrophe,” he stressed, calling for urgent international action.

Prime Minister Mustafa called on the entire United Nations system to immediately activate its response mechanisms and treat Gaza as a famine-stricken zone, including international intervention and the removal of all restrictions on relief aid delivery.

He further called on the UN Security Council and the UN Secretary-General to immediately intervene by invoking Article 99 of the UN Charter.

The Prime Minister urged all UN Member States to fulfill their obligations under international humanitarian law, recognize the catastrophe and famine, provide urgent political and logistical support to end the siege, ensure the unimpeded delivery of aid, and activate mechanisms for international accountability and international justice.

He further called on the international community to safeguard UNRWA’s mandate and support its programs, enabling the Agency to fulfil its vital responsibilities. In this regard, he commended the principled position of all those who have rejected any proposed mechanisms to politicize or control aid distribution.

Mustafa reaffirmed the unwavering commitment of the Palestinian Government to confront the aggression and man-made famine against the Palestinian people, and to continue working closely and tirelessly with the international community to save lives, and lay the foundation for recovery and reconstruction.

“We raise our voices against the silence and inaction of the international community, and appeal to the conscience of humanity everywhere: Do not let the besieged children of Gaza starve to death. 

Do not allow starvation and thirst and water to be used as weapons of war and control. 

This famine is not a natural disaster — it is a deliberate humanitarian crime, and silence is complicity. 

The time to act is now.”

Below is the full statement by the Prime Minister:

We meet today at the Government Operations Room for Emergency Interventions in the Gaza Strip, which comprises representatives of over 30 Palestinian governmental and civil institutions, as well as international humanitarian agencies.

This team in Ramallah works hand in hand with another team on the ground in Gaza from across the Strip, connected through video conferencing. Together, they have worked tirelessly over the past months to coordinate humanitarian and emergency response efforts, establish temporary shelters, reopen vital roads, clear debris, and deliver essential services wherever possible, alongside other interventions, all in cooperation with international and local partners.

These efforts have continued despite renewed aggression against the Gaza Strip, the closure of border crossings, and the deepening humanitarian catastrophe that has unfolded over the past two months.

Today, we face a critical and unprecedented development.

Documented reports by international and UN organizations, on-the-ground indicators, widespread hunger and thirst, the tiny and emaciated bodies of children, and the cries of pain echoing from the tents of the displaced and the rubble of homes and hospitals — all point to one undeniable truth:

Gaza is now a famine zone.

Allow me to explain:

• Amid continued and calculated tightening of illegal siege on the Gaza Strip by Israel, the occupying Power, and its deliberate obstruction of humanitarian aid entry; amid the total blockade and complete collapse of all supply chains, the near-total blackout of electricity, the acute shortages of water, and the collapse of the entire healthcare system, as well as the ongoing, widespread, and systematic violations of international humanitarian law, international human rights law, and international criminal law by the Israeli occupation;

• And based on internationally recognized criteria of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), which define famine as a situation in which a substantial portion of the population suffers from extreme hunger, acute malnutrition, and that faces starvation resulting in extremely critical levels of death. And as 100% of Gaza’s population is now experiencing severe food insecurity;

We hold Israel, the occupying Power, fully responsible for this deliberate humanitarian catastrophe and call on the international community to take the following urgent actions:

1. Implement United Nations resolutions prohibiting the use of starvation as a weapon of war against civilians. This includes immediate intervention by the UN Security Council and Secretary-General under Article 99 of the UN Charter, including measures under Chapter VII.

2. We urge all UN member States to act in accordance with their obligations under international humanitarian law, recognize the catastrophe and famine, provide urgent political and logistical support to lift the siege, ensure the unimpeded delivery of aid, and activate international accountability mechanisms and international justice.

3. We call on the entire UN system—particularly the World Food Programme (WFP), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and all IPC partners—to immediately activate response mechanisms and treat Gaza as a famine-stricken zone, including international intervention and the removal of all restrictions on relief aid delivery.

4. We demand from the international community to safeguard UNRWA’s mandate and support its programs, enabling the Agency to fulfill its responsibilities. In this regard, we commend the principled position of the UN Secretary-General the European Union’s institutions, and all international and UN bodies that have rejected any proposed mechanisms to politicize or control aid distribution. We also express our gratitude for the Arab and international stance against forced displacement.

As we officially declare that Gaza is in a state of famine, we reaffirm our unwavering commitment to do everything in our power to confront this aggression and man-made famine against our people, and to work closely and tirelessly with the international community to save lives, and ultimately achieve recovery and reconstruction.

In closing, we raise our voices against the silence and the inaction of the international community, and we appeal to the conscience of humanity everywhere:

Do not let the children of Gaza starve to death.

Do not allow food and water to be used as weapons of war and control.

This famine is not a natural disaster—it is a deliberate humanitarian crime, and silence is complicity.

The time to act is now. The time to stop the catastrophe and save lives is now.

Thank you.

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