WFP head Cindy McCain expressed her distress after her visit to the Gaza Strip. According to the UN, 650,000 people could be affected by famine by the end of September if massive aid does not arrive quickly.
Cindy McCain: “Unrecognizable Children”
During a visit to Gaza, the Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP), Cindy McCain, made a dramatic assessment on Thursday, August 28.
"I met children who are starving and receiving treatment for severe malnutrition. I saw their photos when they were still healthy: today they are unrecognizable," she declared in a statement.
UN confirms famine in Gaza
On August 22, the United Nations officially declared the existence of famine in the Gaza Strip. According to their projections, 650,000 people could be affected by the end of September.
While, for now, the most affected area remains Gaza City, famine threatens to spread to two-thirds of the territory in the coming weeks.
Israel rejects report
The Israeli government strongly contested these conclusions. On Wednesday, the Director-General of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Eden Bar Tal, demanded the withdrawal of the report:
"Israel demands that the IPC immediately withdraw this fabricated report," he stated.
The IPC (Integrated Food Security Phase Classification), supported by the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), has been accused by Israel of being "a politicized institute."
An unprecedented humanitarian crisis
Famine comes on top of massive infrastructure destruction, lack of drinking water, and the collapse of the healthcare system. NGOs estimate that without the sustained opening of humanitarian corridors, the civilian population risks plunging into an irreversible catastrophe.
Sources: l'Humanité, 28/08/25.
Statements by Cindy McCain (WFP) and United Nations data, consulted on August 28, 2025.
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