The UN says there’s ‘full-blown famine’ in northern Gaza. What does that mean?

By SAM MEDNICK and ELLEN KNICKMEYER
Associated Press

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — The head of the United Nations World Food Program says northern Gaza has entered “full-blown famine” after nearly seven months of war between Israel and Hamas. But a formal famine declaration faces the complications of politics and of confirming how many people have died. A WFP spokesman tells The Associated Press that one of the three benchmarks for a formal famine declaration has already been met in northern Gaza and another is nearly met — important details on how far the effort to document deadly hunger has progressed. The next official report by famine experts is expected in July.