A second UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report published on Tuesday did not find evidence of a famine in the Gaza Strip.
It did note, however, that a high risk of famine will persist across Gaza as long as the war between Israel and Hamas continues and humanitarian access remains restricted, despite some more aid arriving in northern areas.
"In contrast with the assumptions made for the projection period (March – July 2024), the amount of food and non-food commodities allowed into the northern governorates increased. Additionally, the response in the nutrition, water sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) and health sectors was scaled up. In this context, the available evidence does not indicate that Famine is currently occurring."
More than 495,000 people are facing the most severe, or "catastrophic," level of food insecurity.
That is down from 1.1 million forecasted in the previous update three months ago, but it is still more than one-fifth of Gaza's population.
Under "catastrophic" food insecurity, households suffer an extreme lack of food, leading to acute malnutrition in young children, an imminent risk of starvation, and death.
The IPC assessment published on Tuesday said that in order to buy food, more than half of Gazan households surveyed had to sell clothes, and one-third gathered and sold rubbish. Over 20% reported going entire days and nights without eating. Overall, about 96% of the population faced high levels of acute food insecurity in the period until September.
The IPC said increased deliveries of food and nutrition services in March and April seemed to have reduced the severity of hunger in northern Gaza, where the UN-backed body had previously projected a likelihood of famine.
"The humanitarian space in the Gaza Strip continues to shrink, and the ability to safely deliver assistance to populations is dwindling. The recent trajectory is negative and highly unstable," the update reportedly said.
The Famine Review Committee, a group of experts that reviews IPC findings, said in a report also released on Tuesday that there was "extreme human suffering" in Gaza and the risk of famine had not diminished.
Rafah operations led to closing of Gaza border with Egypt
The Rafah offensive led to the shutting of the crossing on Gaza's border with Egypt, which had been a main route for the delivery of food and other supplies, as well as an evacuation point for civilians who were critically ill or injured.
The closure, along with disruptions at the nearby Israeli crossing of Kerem Shalom, reduced humanitarian access to two million people in southern Gaza, said the IPC update, which covers the period from May 1 to Sept. 30.
Within Gaza, displacement to areas with less water and fewer health services reportedly "increases the risk of disease outbreaks, which would have catastrophic effects on the nutritional and health status of large segments of the population," it said.
The IPC initiative involves UN agencies, national governments, and aid groups that set the global standard for measuring food crises.
Its most extreme warning is Phase 5, which has two levels: catastrophe and famine.
Famine can be declared if at least 20% of the population in an area is suffering extreme food shortages, with at least 30% of children acutely malnourished and two people out of every 10,000 dying daily from starvation or malnutrition and disease.co
The IDF announced on Thursday that it had facilitated the passage of 68 sick and injured children out of Gaza to Egypt and abroad. The IDF facilitated their passage in coordination with the US government, Egypt, and the international community.
They stressed that this was part of many efforts carried out by Israel to facilitate medical care in Gaza, including the entry of medical equipment in large quantities, intending to enable and assist the establishment of additional field hospitals.