In a stark reminder of the brutal realities of warfare, new analysis reveals that hunger is increasingly being wielded as a weapon across the globe. Since 2018, over 20,000 incidents of “food-related violence” have been documented, with conflict zones like Gaza, Sudan, Lebanon, and Haiti bearing the brunt of this insidious tactic. The findings coincide with the anniversary of a UN resolution aimed at condemning the deliberate starvation of civilians, highlighting the grim reality that starvation has become an entrenched aspect of modern conflict.
A Grim Catalogue of Violence
The term “food-related violence” encompasses a range of brutal acts, including direct assaults on markets, farmland, and food distribution systems. According to data compiled by Insecurity Insight, 21,403 incidents across 15 countries illustrate the harsh reality that civilians are often caught in the crosshairs of these attacks. The analysis details 1,261 assaults on markets, where families rely on purchasing daily necessities, and 863 instances where aid workers were targeted, often leading to deadly consequences.
Since the UN Security Council passed resolution 2417 in 2018, which condemned the unlawful denial of humanitarian aid, the weaponisation of hunger has intensified. The occupied Palestinian Territory has recorded the highest number of attacks, with 9,013 incidents, followed by Yemen with 1,863 and Sudan, where food supplies were hit in 1,605 separate strikes. A particularly harrowing recent incident in Sudan saw a drone strike on a crowded market, resulting in 28 fatalities.
The Targeting of Civilians
As the violence escalates, civilians attempting to procure food are increasingly at risk. Between October 2023 and the end of 2025, more than 10,300 individuals were reported killed or injured while trying to access aid. Giulia Contò, a conflict and hunger advocacy manager at Action Against Hunger, emphasised that while the famine in Gaza and Sudan has garnered international attention, much of the conflict-induced hunger remains unreported and unchecked. “Relentless attacks on the systems communities depend on to survive—livestock looted, markets bombed, aid convoys blocked—paint a grim picture of daily life in these regions,” she stated.
Women, in particular, find themselves disproportionately affected by the scourge of hunger as a weapon. As Christina Wille, director at Insecurity Insight, noted, women often face the toughest choices in these dire circumstances, frequently risking their safety to secure food for their families. Those who once played the role of caregivers are now forced to become breadwinners, often at the expense of their own nutrition. The long-term impacts on children, who are deprived of adequate sustenance, are devastating and will echo through generations.
A Call for Action
Despite the existence of the UN resolution aimed at protecting vulnerable populations from starvation, its implementation remains woefully inadequate. Wille urged the global community to hold member states accountable for the violations occurring in conflict zones. “It is not that resolution 2417 has failed, but that member states have failed to implement it,” she asserted, stressing the urgent need for political will to combat these violations.
The data underscores a troubling trend: conflict is now the leading driver of hunger, with over half of the global population experiencing severe food insecurity concentrated in just ten nations. UN agencies have warned that the problem is becoming entrenched in these regions, where everyday survival is overshadowed by the spectre of violence.
Why it Matters
The weaponisation of hunger is not just a humanitarian crisis; it is a calculated strategy that undermines the very fabric of societies. As food supplies dwindle and violence escalates, the implications reach far beyond immediate survival. The erosion of food security in conflict zones fosters instability, exacerbates suffering, and creates a cycle of despair that can persist long after the violence has subsided. Addressing this issue is critical not only for the current populations affected but for global stability in an increasingly interconnected world. Failure to act now risks entrenching a future where hunger remains a tool of war, with devastating impacts on generations to come.
