WHO: Gaza on the brink of famine threatening hundreds of thousands by April 2026

The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, warned of the escalating risk of famine in the Gaza Strip, emphasizing that more than 100,000 children and some 37,000 pregnant and lactating women are at risk of acute malnutrition by April 2026.

Ghebreyesus issued his warning in a blog post published Sunday on the “X” platform, commenting on the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report released by UN agencies. The report indicated that at least 1.6 million people in Gaza face high levels of acute food insecurity until mid-April 2026.

The UN official explained that efforts to mitigate the risk of famine in the Strip remain “extremely fragile,” warning that worst-case scenarios, including renewed conflict and a halt to humanitarian aid flows, could plunge the entire Gaza Strip into famine during the same period.

Ghebreyesus noted that any progress made in addressing the crisis remains limited, given the widespread destruction of infrastructure, the collapse of livelihoods, the decline in local food production, and the restrictions imposed on humanitarian operations.

He added that UN estimates indicate that more than 100,000 children and 37,000 pregnant and lactating women will suffer from acute malnutrition by next April, at a time when only about 50 percent of health facilities in Gaza are partially functioning, amidst a severe shortage of essential medical supplies and equipment.

He pointed out that the entry of medical supplies faces restrictions and complex procedures, stressing that improving life-saving services and expanding access to healthcare requires urgent approval for the entry of essential medical supplies and equipment into the Gaza Strip’s hospitals.