The Famine Lie: A Deliberate Propaganda Campaign Shaping Global Policy Against Israel
New UKLFI Review on the "Famine" Libel
Since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas, alarming reports of famine in Gaza have been presented as “irrefutable evidence” of a “humanitarian disaster”, heavily spread by the UN Secretary-General, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC). However, a recent investigation by the UKLFI Charitable Trust has uncovered significant errors, inconsistencies, and misrepresentations in these reports—revealing not just sloppy analysis but a deliberate attempt to spread lies and propaganda to manipulate global opinion and policy.
The Famine Myth: No Actual Famine, Just Intentional Misrepresentation
Despite the widespread panic, there has been no famine in Gaza as defined by the IPC (Integrated Food Security Phase Classification) standards since October 2023. Instead, the reports relied on incomplete and distorted data to create a narrative of impending famine. The reports from IPC and the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) projected an imminent famine across Gaza, especially in North Gaza, which was not supported by facts:
Overlooking Key Food and Water Sources: Key sources of food and water were either ignored or underestimated in the reports, misleading the international community about the true scale of food insecurity.
Inflated Malnutrition Claims: The reports miscalculated the baseline of acute malnutrition in Gaza, inflating the severity of the problem. They claimed a tenfold increase in malnutrition since the war began, when the actual levels were only marginally higher than before.
Misleading Classifications: IPC and FEWS NET misclassified Gaza’s food insecurity status as Phase 4 (Emergency), despite the fact that the data only justified a Phase 3 (Crisis). This deliberate overclassification further fueled the false narrative of a dire, famine-level crisis.
Methodological Manipulation and Data Distortion
The reports relied on faulty methodologies and cherry-picked data to exaggerate the food insecurity situation:
Inconsistent Metrics: Different malnutrition metrics were compared without explanation, leading to misleading conclusions about the scale of the crisis. This choice of inconsistent data helped reinforce the narrative of an impending catastrophe.
Overestimated Population in North Gaza: One of the most significant errors was the inflated population estimate in North Gaza, which resulted in misleading conclusions about the food supply per person, further distorting the severity of the crisis.
Failed Projections: While IPC and FEWS NET consistently predicted a worsening situation, their own later reports showed a decrease in the severity of food insecurity, indicating that their original assessments were deliberately exaggerated.
The “Risk of Famine” Falsehood: The phrase “high risk of famine,” which was used repeatedly in the reports, is a carefully crafted propaganda tool. According to IPC guidelines, "risk of famine" refers to a worst-case scenario, not a likely event. This misleading use of terminology falsely amplified the sense of urgency and crisis.
Gaza’s Global Support Disproportionately High
The narrative of famine in Gaza is further fueled by international responses, particularly the massive aid flows directed toward the region. In the year since the war began, the United States alone has sent over $2.3 billion in humanitarian aid to Gaza. This figure does not even include the additional support provided by other countries and international organizations. To put this in perspective, the U.S. has provided Gaza with over 18 times the aid per capita than it sent to Ethiopia, despite Ethiopia being home to one of the largest humanitarian crises in the world, with over 22 million people in urgent need of aid.
In fact, the U.S. has allocated 17% of all global aid it has sent abroad to Gaza. This level of aid is unprecedented, particularly when compared to other regions in dire need of support. The imbalance is staggering—while Gaza receives billions, nations like Ethiopia, Yemen, and Somalia, which face similar or worse crises, are receiving far less support relative to their populations.
A Propaganda Tool in Global Legal and Policy Decisions
These fabricated reports have been instrumental in shaping international policy, influencing key global legal bodies like the UN, ICJ, and ICC. The exaggerated famine narrative, despite being grounded in false data, has become the foundation for international decisions regarding Israel. The deliberate spread of misinformation has fostered a skewed perception of Gaza’s humanitarian crisis, with serious consequences for policy and diplomacy.
A Strategic Manipulation of Global Opinion
The deliberate misrepresentation of Gaza’s food insecurity situation is not merely a matter of inaccurate reporting; it is a calculated attempt to manipulate global opinion through lies and propaganda. The evidence shows that the famine narrative is built on inflated claims, misclassified data, and methodological flaws—intentional or otherwise—that have been used to shape legal, political, and public perception.
This issue is not merely about mistaken projections or flawed analysis. It’s about a deliberate attempt to create and spread a false narrative that misguides international responses, jeopardizes policy decisions, and distorts reality on the ground. The truth must be uncovered, and future assessments must be grounded in factual, unbiased data rather than politically motivated propaganda.
