Read the passage carefully and decide which is the best answer (A, B, C, or D) for each question from 21 to 28.
1. The entire population of Gaza is facing acute food insecurity, with nearly half a million people now suffering catastrophic hunger, according to a new report from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC). Since all humanitarian aid was blocked on 2 March, malnutrition and hunger have worsened dramatically. The IPC estimates that 71,000 children and over 17,000 mothers urgently need treatment for acute malnutrition, a sharp rise from earlier in the year. Without immediate intervention, food insecurity, malnutrition, and mortality levels are expected to exceed famine thresholds in the coming months.
2. The crisis is being fueled by ongoing conflict, a complete blockade, and the total closure of border crossings, which have now been shut for over two months, the longest in Gaza's history. Food prices in local markets have soared to unaffordable levels, leaving even basic items out of reach for most families. Despite this, more than 116,000 metric tons of food aid, enough to feed one million people for four months, remain stuck at aid corridors, along with hundreds of pallets of life-saving nutrition treatments.
3. UN agencies like the World Food Programme (WFP) and UNICEF continue to sound the alarm. [I] "Families in Gaza are starving while food sits at the border," said WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain. [II] "If we wait until famine is declared, it will be too late for many." [III] Both leaders stress that this crisis could have been prevented and call on all parties to allow immediate access for humanitarian aid. [IV]
4. The situation is especially dire for children. Seventeen UN agencies and NGOs confirm that extreme food deprivation is widespread among Gaza's youngest residents. Combined with the collapse of health services and lack of clean water, this has triggered rapid increases in acute malnutrition, particularly in the North Gaza, Gaza, and Rafah governorates. UNICEF warns that its remaining supplies for treating malnutrition are critically low, and WFP has already exhausted its food stocks. All 25 WFP-supported bakeries closed weeks ago, and food parcels and meal support programs have ended.
5. Despite these grim conditions, aid agencies remain ready to act. Both WFP and UNICEF are on the ground, prepared to deliver life-saving assistance as soon as borders reopen. They urge all parties to prioritize the needs of civilians and respect international humanitarian law, stressing that urgent action is the only way to prevent a full- scale famine in Gaza.