The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned on Tuesday of an increasingly dire famine scenario in the Gaza Strip should the current conditions persist.

Speaking to the press about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the enclave, OCHA spokesperson Olga Cherevko stated that famine is escalating at an alarming rate due to the ongoing Israeli-imposed siege and deliberate starvation tactics.

Cherevko referred to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report, which confirmed the existence of famine in northern Gaza and projected its spread to Deir al-Balah in central Gaza and Khan Younis in the south by the end of September.

“The findings of the report came as no surprise to us,” she said. “This is exactly what we have been warning about for months. We are heading toward a far worse scenario if the situation on the ground doesn’t change.”

She stressed that without a comprehensive and immediate response, famine could rapidly spread to other areas of the Strip.

The spokesperson underscored that the only way to halt the famine is through the urgent and unhindered delivery of sufficient humanitarian aid to civilians. She called for the immediate removal of all barriers obstructing aid access and the establishment of a safe and consistent humanitarian corridor for distribution.

Cherevko further confirmed that “avoidable deaths have already occurred,” stressing that “the current catastrophe is entirely man-made and could have been prevented with timely intervention—yet the necessary steps were never taken.”

She concluded with a stark warning: “The international community and relevant actors still fail to grasp the full scale of what could unfold if urgent action is not taken to address the crisis in Gaza.”