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

A formal famine declaration faces obstacles, with airstrikes and raids making it harder to find the true death rate due to hunger

Aid parcels are airdropped over the northern Gaza Strip amid the ongoing conflict Picture: Getty Images

The head of the UN World Food Programme (WFP) says northern Gaza has entered “full-blown famine” after nearly seven months of war between Israel and Hamas. 

But a formal, and highly sensitive, famine declaration faces the complications of politics and of confirming how many people have died.