Gaza, Famine ’25 and the Fragility of a Crisis Response

E. Mark Windle 1 August 2026.

September 2025 was an uncomfortable month for Israel. International condemnation of its activities in Gaza was intensifying. The Global Sumud Flotilla—the maritime attempt to break the Israeli blockade—set sail. The mission to reach Gaza’s shores may have failed when the flotilla was intercepted but there were other gains. Now there was unambiguous and widespread focus on the plight of the people of Gaza via social media and television, mass demonstrations and workforce strikes across Europe.

Genocide

With the conclusion of the UN’s Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory that Israel’s actions in Gaza met the legal definition of genocide, other events quickly followed: Britain’s long overdue official recognition of the State of Palestine came within a week (in part, a consequence of ongoing political pressure, but doubtless also of the UK government’s futile attempt to distance itself from complicity), talk of a peace plan, and eventual closure of Gaza Humanitarian Foundation activities.

Undeniably, the Famine Review Committee’s call to action following a famine declaration in the previous month and escalation of aid agency operations had some positive impact. Aid efforts were maintained in part by a new ceasefire announcement that came alongside the US-brokered peace proposal. Four months after famine had been confirmed in the Gaza Governate, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis team reassessed malnutrition prevalence. Gaza was now officially in a famine recovery phase.

Ceasefire failure

In spite of the encouraging news from the IPC team, 1.6 million people still faced high levels of acute food insecurity. The situation was also expected to remain severe through to at least April 2026. This was a best-case scenario, assuming a sustained ceasefire, open borders and freedom of access. To date none of that has fully happened. Well in excess of 100,000 children are requiring treatment for malnutrition.

For so many civilians, the declaration of another ceasefire and the lifting of Gaza’s famine alert has been entirely academic. Airstrikes and ground attacks continue. Children are still being killed . Frequent border closures with little or no notice create hurdles for agencies trying to coordinate sully chains and deliver perishable goods. Aid entry often faces lengthy customs delays.

In regions affected by long term conflict, levels of food security are influenced by highly volatile factors. The devastating famine of 2025 was quiesced rather than resolved and ripple effects have been long lasting, with Israel denying it ever happened.

An excerpt from “Where The Olive Trees Grow” by E. Mark Windle; an analysis of Palestinian nutritional welfare and exploring its role in the eventual reconstruction of Gaza. Scheduled for publication mid-2027. Check out the book cover Crowdfunder to find out how you can be part of this book’s journey and support a Palestinian artist at the same time.