The food security situation in Gaza has shown some improvement since famine was declared in parts of the territory last year, but conditions remain precarious and vulnerable to rapid deterioration, according to a recent report from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).

The IPC, an authoritative panel of food security experts used by the United Nations and aid organizations, cited a decrease in fighting and increased humanitarian aid permitted by Israel as key factors contributing to progress between April and June. However, the gains have been uneven across the region, and the agency cautioned that “even small disruptions to humanitarian access could rapidly reverse recent gains.”

Despite these improvements, the report emphasized that the vast majority of Gaza’s approximately 2.1 million residents continue to face severe food insecurity. Most families are still not receiving sufficient nutrition, and ongoing challenges persist in a territory where Israel’s military controls more than half the area. Palestinians remain confined to overcrowded tent camps and heavily damaged urban neighborhoods, many suffering from failing sewage infrastructure that has led to repeated disease outbreaks and inconsistent access to essential services.

Local accounts and data from the Gaza Chamber of Commerce confirm that demand at charity kitchens remains high and food prices are still elevated. Rana Abu Bakr, a displaced mother relying on aid in Khan Younis, described the situation as “very tragic,” noting a lack of water and affordable food while prices remain “exorbitant.”

The report also highlighted alarming impacts on children’s health, with increasing cases of stunting—impaired growth caused by chronic malnutrition—that can have lifelong effects. UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell warned that many children “may never fully recover from prolonged lack of proper nutrition,” underscoring the long-term humanitarian consequences.

The health ministry in Gaza reported that at least 1,185 people have died from Israeli strikes and shelling since last October’s ceasefire agreement. The IPC’s measurement of food insecurity incorporates indicators such as household food shortages, malnutrition rates in children, and fatalities attributed to starvation.

Last August’s famine declaration marked the first recorded famine in the Middle East by the IPC. While the latest findings suggest some relief, the overall situation remains at crisis levels, with aid access and conflict dynamics continuing to shape the precarious humanitarian environment in Gaza.