"Gaza Faces Unprecedented Famine Threat Amid Ongoing Conflict"

U.S. government humanitarian experts have warned that Gaza is likely already experiencing famine, with hunger and malnutrition spreading at an unprecedented rate. The assessment, shared in a cable drafted by officials at the U.S. Agency for International Development, reflects the desperate situation in Gaza and the Biden administration's awareness of the risk of a dramatic rise in the death toll. The cable also highlights the challenges faced by aid groups in providing life-saving assistance in Gaza amid ongoing hostilities and points to ways in which Israeli policies are worsening the humanitarian crisis. The dire internal analysis represents a shift from USAID's last public comment on the matter, and the officials emphasize that the current aid efforts are insufficient to address the scale of the famine.