In a grim indictment of modern warfare, recent analysis reveals that hunger is being weaponised across the globe, with over 20,000 incidents of food-related violence documented since 2018. The findings spotlight an alarming trend where the basic right to food is being systematically undermined in conflict areas such as Gaza, Sudan, and Yemen, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis.
A Disquieting Overview of Food-Related Attacks
The analysis, conducted by Insecurity Insight, presents a stark picture of the current global landscape. Since the UN Security Council unanimously passed Resolution 2417 in 2018, which condemned the intentional starvation of civilians, there has been a marked escalation in assaults on food supplies and distribution systems. A staggering 21,403 incidents have been recorded across 15 countries, targeting everything from markets to farmland, and even water infrastructure critical for agriculture.
Among these incidents, 1,261 strikes have hit markets where families rely on purchasing daily essentials, and 863 attacks have targeted food distribution systems, often resulting in the loss of lives among humanitarian workers. The scale of violence is most pronounced in the occupied Palestinian territories, which has experienced 9,013 recorded attacks, followed by Yemen with 1,863 and Sudan with 1,605.
The Human Cost of Conflict-Induced Hunger
The ramifications of these attacks extend far beyond immediate physical harm; they devastate communities and dismantle social structures. Giulia Contò, the conflict and hunger advocacy manager at Action Against Hunger, highlights that while the acute famines in Gaza and Sudan have captured media attention, the everyday reality of conflict-induced hunger is often overlooked. Communities face relentless assaults on their means of survival—markets bombed, livestock stolen, and aid convoys obstructed.
Between October 2023 and the end of 2025, more than 10,300 individuals were reported killed or injured while attempting to access aid. This chilling statistic reflects not just the violence of war but the desperate lengths to which people will go to secure the most basic necessity: food.
Women and Children: The Most Vulnerable
The weaponisation of hunger disproportionately affects women and children, forcing them into perilous situations to provide for their families. Christina Wille, director at Insecurity Insight, emphasises that women frequently face harrowing choices amid unreliable food access, often travelling longer distances that increase their risk of violence. Women, traditionally the caregivers, find themselves thrust into the role of breadwinners, frequently sacrificing their own food intake to ensure their children can eat.
Without adequate nutrition, children’s development suffers profoundly. They are unable to play, learn, or thrive—consequences that will resonate throughout their lives.
The Global Community’s Responsibility
As the international community grapples with the implications of these findings, the call for action grows louder. Wille asserts that the failure lies not in the UN resolution itself but in the lack of political will among member states to uphold its principles. With conflict remaining a predominant driver of hunger—accounting for over half of the world’s severely food-insecure population—urgent measures are needed to address these violations.
UN agencies have warned that a significant portion of global hunger is becoming entrenched in a handful of conflict-stricken nations, with two-thirds of those facing acute food insecurity concentrated in just ten countries. This concentration of suffering necessitates a concerted effort to implement and enforce humanitarian protections.
Why it Matters
The weaponisation of hunger is not merely an abstract concept; it is a brutal reality that affects millions of lives daily. As conflicts rage on, the deliberate targeting of food systems transforms hunger into a tool of war, exacerbating human suffering. The international community must act decisively to uphold the tenets of humanitarian law and ensure that the right to food is protected, not weaponised. In doing so, they can help break the cycle of violence and restore dignity to those caught in the crossfire.
