More than 295 million people worldwide are suffering from acute hunger, half of them as a direct consequence of conflict – a figure equivalent to more than twice the entire population of Italy.
20th Italian Edition of the Global Hunger Index (GHI): alarming hunger levels in 7 countries and serious levels in 35.
“The level of destruction in the Gaza Strip is so severe that, even with a ceasefire, livelihoods and nutrition will remain at risk for many years to come. The immediate entry of vital humanitarian aid is urgently needed.”
In the past year, wars and armed conflicts have triggered 20 food crises, pushing 140 million people into acute hunger – more than twice the population of Italy. In many cases, hunger has not merely been a “collateral” consequence of violence but has been deliberately inflicted through sieges, aid blockades and the destruction of agricultural infrastructure – effectively used as a weapon of war.
Gaza is the most emblematic example: over the past two years, the local Ministry of Health (MoH) has documented 461 deaths related to malnutrition (more than 270 in 2025 alone), including 157 children. Currently, 320,000 children under the age of five are at risk of acute malnutrition, and more than 20,000 people have been killed (2,580) or injured (18,930) while trying to obtain food and access aid.
These are the findings of the 2025 Global Hunger Index (GHI), one of the world’s leading reports on measuring hunger, produced in Italy by CESVI and compiled by Welthungerhilfe (WHH), Concern Worldwide, and the Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict (IFHV).
The report highlights that over 40 countries are currently facing severe or alarming levels of hunger.
Progress has stalled, and at this rate, the ambitious goal of “Zero Hunger” by 2030 will not be achieved. If current trends continue, the eradication of hunger will not occur until 2137.
Gaza: Famine After Two Years of Conflict
A dramatic famine (IPC Phase 5) is underway in Gaza, already confirmed in the Gaza Governorate. Projections indicate that, in the coming months, nearly one-third of the population – about 641,000 people – will face catastrophic conditions (Phase 5), while 1.14 million people will be in emergency conditions (Phase 4).
Since mid-March, over 1.2 million people have been displaced. Aid remains severely insufficient and heavily restricted, while prices of essential goods have soared (e.g. flour prices up by 3,400%). Child malnutrition has risen rapidly: in summer 2025 alone, 28,000 cases of acute malnutrition were recorded among children under five – more than the total diagnoses in the first half of the year (23,000 cases from January to June 2025).
Over 55,000 pregnant or breastfeeding women and 25,000 newborns urgently require nutritional support. Local food production has collapsed, with over 98% of arable land damaged or inaccessible. The destruction of agricultural infrastructure, widespread unexploded ordnance, and the collapse of water, health and public services will make recovery extremely slow. Livelihoods and nutrition will remain at risk for years.
CESVI has been present in the Palestinian territories since 1994. Since the outbreak of the conflict, it has intensified efforts to provide clean water and essential hygiene services to the population of Gaza, improve waste management, mitigate flood risks, and reduce the risk of acute malnutrition.
The organisation has never stopped its operations during the past two years, remaining on the ground with local and international staff to ensure the survival of displaced families.
Currently, CESVI provides 50,000–55,000 litres of potable water daily in displaced persons camps in Gaza City and central Gaza Strip. Distribution efforts have reached approximately 105,000 Gazans, with 30 million litres of water delivered. The organisation also continues to install latrines and rehabilitate hygiene and sanitation infrastructure in camps in Deir al Balah and Khan Younis.
Devastating War as a Hunger Multiplier
The situation in Gaza is the most dramatic expression of a dangerous global trend that is far from isolated. In 2024 alone, 47% of acute hunger cases worldwide were caused by armed conflict. Nearly 200,000 violent incidents were recorded last year – a 25% increase from 2023. This escalation has forced millions of families to survive without essential services, pushing the number of displaced people to over 122 million – the highest level ever recorded.
Conflicts in Gaza and Sudan clearly demonstrate how armed violence can quickly destroy food security: between 2023 and 2024, the number of people facing famine more than doubled to nearly two million, 95% of whom live in these two contexts. The 2025 GHI strongly warns against the “normalisation” of hunger as a weapon of war and calls for respect for international law and stronger accountability mechanisms to address this practice.
Alarming or Severe Hunger in 42 Countries
The global 2025 GHI score is 18.3, indicating a “moderate” level of global malnutrition. In 2024, more than 295 million people across 53 countries and territories suffered from acute hunger – 13.7 million more than in 2023.
The four key indicators – undernourishment, child stunting, child wasting, and child mortality – remain far from international targets, and there has been no significant progress since 2016, due to overlapping crises: armed conflict, climate shocks, and economic fragility.
The 2025 GHI shows that hunger has reached alarming levels in 7 countries – Haiti, Madagascar, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, South Sudan, Burundi, and Yemen – and is classified as severe in another 35. In 27 countries, conditions have even worsened since 2016. The worst GHI score was recorded in Somalia (42.6).
In several countries – including Palestine, Sudan, Burundi, North Korea, and Yemen – the situation is so critical that a full GHI score cannot be calculated due to the lack of essential data. Available indicators, however, point to worsening conditions, suggesting that the reality is even more severe than reported.
At the regional level, hunger remains severe in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia (with GHI scores of 27.1 and 24.9, respectively). Slight global improvements are linked to progress in some parts of South and South-East Asia and Latin America. However, these advances remain fragile and can be quickly reversed. The report underscores the need for strong policies, early warning systems, climate resilience measures, and structural food system transformations to consolidate progress. It urgently calls for increased aid, investment in resilient food systems, long-term policies, and the recognition of the right to food as a fundamental human right.
Regions Most Affected by Hunger
Sub-Saharan Africa continues to record the highest global under-five mortality rates. In Chad, Niger, Nigeria, and Somalia, levels remain extremely alarming. In Sudan and South Sudan, the conflict that began in 2023 has shattered food systems, hindered aid delivery, and displaced millions. By mid-2024, famine had been confirmed in parts of Darfur, with about 760,000 people facing catastrophic food insecurity (IPC Phase 5).
In South Asia, undernutrition still affects nearly one in eight people, and the region accounts for almost 40% of the world’s undernourished population. Undernutrition levels are rising compared to 2016, with Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka recording worsening hunger.
In Western Asia and North Africa, armed violence in Syria, Yemen, and the occupied Palestinian territories has severely damaged agricultural production and food systems, displacing millions and limiting access to food.
In East and South-East Asia, Myanmar is among the most affected countries, with a GHI score of 15.3 (moderate hunger). Escalating violence and the March 2025 earthquake displaced about 3 million people and pushed over 14 million – about 25% of the population – into critical food insecurity.
Despite these crises, some countries have made significant progress since 2016. Bangladesh, Nepal, Togo, India, Ethiopia, Angola, and Sierra Leone demonstrate that targeted policies and sustained investments can produce concrete results in the fight against hunger. However, these gains remain fragile: without long-term strategies, early warning systems, and climate resilience tools, progress risks being undone.
Download the 2025 Global Hunger Index: full report and synopsis available.