‘Death by starvation is slow and cruel’: famine is projected to take hold of Gaza within weeks

When a person is deprived of food for a prolonged period - meaning they’re not taking in enough calories to keep up with the body’s energy needs - starvation begins to set in. And within a few days with no food - the human body essentially starts feeding on itself. The body begins to consume the things inside of it to keep us alive: like carbohydrates, fats, the protein parts of tissues. And while the body is working overtime to provide those basic energy needs, other vital organs are being ignored - meaning a starving person becomes more susceptible to other deadly diseases. Eventually, the body has nothing left to scavenge except for muscle and bones. Death by starvation is slow and cruel. Right now, the entire population of Gaza - that’s 2.2 million people - do not have enough available calories. Half the population - 1.1 million people - are on the brink of acute starvation. And famine is projected to take hold in North Gaza anytime between now and May. This is all according to a UN-backed report by the IPC - or the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification. » Subscribe to MSNBC: Download our new MSNBC app for the latest breaking news and daily headlines at a glance: Follow MSNBC Show Blogs MaddowBlog: ReidOut Blog: MSNBC delivers breaking news, in-depth analysis of politics headlines, as well as commentary and informed perspectives. Find video clips and segments from The Rachel Maddow Show, Morning Joe, The Beat with Ari Melber, Deadline: White House, The ReidOut, All In, Last Word, 11th Hour, and Alex Wagner who brings her breadth of reporting experience to MSNBC primetime. Watch “Alex Wagner Tonight” Tuesday through Friday at 9pm Eastern. Connect with MSNBC Online Visit : Subscribe to the MSNBC Daily Newsletter: Find MSNBC on Facebook: Follow MSNBC on Twitter: Follow MSNBC on Instagram: #