U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Friday that although famine in Gaza has been prevented, the humanitarian situation remains highly fragile, with more than three-quarters of the population facing acute food insecurity and severe malnutrition risks.
"Famine has been pushed back. Far more people are able to access the food they need to survive," Guterres told a news conference at the U.N. headquarters in New York. "Gains are fragile, perilously so."
He said 1.6 million people in Gaza, more than 75% of the population, are projected to face "extreme levels of acute food insecurity and critical malnutrition risks."
Guterres also renewed calls for "a durable cease-fire," saying: "We need more crossings, the lifting of restrictions on critical items, the removal of red tape, safe routes inside Gaza, sustained funding, and unimpeded access, including for NGOs."
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) released its news findings on Friday, noting that famine conditions in the enclave have been temporarily offset following a reduction in hostilities and improved access for humanitarian and commercial food deliveries. The latest report, however, warned that the overall situation in Gaza remains critical.
