According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), a system that measures food insecurity and malnutrition, 32 percent of the population of Gaza City and the surrounding areas “are facing catastrophic conditions characterized by starvation,

The IPC is an international standard meant to measure the threat of starvation without bias. Many hope that Friday’s IPC report, which determined Gaza is experiencing famine, will spur an international aid response.

Israel has called the United Nations' declaration of famine in parts of Gaza an "outright lie," but multiple U.N. bodies, more than 100 humanitarian groups, and several of Israel's own allies have warned for months that the war and Israel's restrictions of food into Gaza are causing starvation among civilians.