Hunger experts say the risk of famine in Gaza remains high

The Gaza Strip is still at risk of famine more than a year into the Israel-Hamas war, even as the number of people facing the most extreme level of hunger has declined in recent months, the international authority on hunger crises said Thursday.

The findings come after the United States warned Israel that it might cut off military aid if its ally does not do more to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Hundreds of thousands of people there are displaced from their homes and packed into squalid tent camps and schools-turned-shelters.

In recent weeks Israel has once again ordered the evacuation of the northern third of Gaza, and it launched another major military operation there. It allowed no food to enter the north for roughly the first two weeks of October before resuming shipments on Monday.

According to the military's own figures, a little over 5,800 tons of food have entered all of Gaza so far this month, compared to nearly 76,000 in September, and not all of those shipments have reached people inside. More than 500 trucks remain trapped on the Gaza side of the border, where the U.N. says it has difficulty retrieving the cargo because of Israeli military operations, lawlessness and other obstacles.

In a statement announcing a second shipment on Wednesday, the military said it will continue to act in accordance with international law "to facilitate and ease the entry of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.”

The latest findings on hunger in Gaza were released by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, or IPC, an initiative set up in 2004 during the famine in Somalia that involves more than a dozen U.N. agencies, aid organizations, governments and other groups. It has repeatedly warned of famine over the course of the yearlong war, which was triggered by Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack into southern Israel.

Over 1.8 million people, or around 86% of Gaza's population, are experiencing crisis levels of hunger, defined as Phase 3 or higher on the IPC's five-point scale. Some 133,000 people, or around 6%, are at Phase 5, the highest level, known as catastrophic hunger. That is down from earlier periods of the war, when nearly a third of the population was at Phase 5.

The IPC warned the situation could rapidly deteriorate, and that it expects catastrophic hunger levels to double in the coming months. It cited a slowdown in aid in recent weeks, the onset of what is typically a cold and rainy winter, and the harsh conditions people face in crowded tent camps with little in the way of food, clean water or toilets.

“One year into the conflict, the risk of famine persists throughout the whole Gaza Strip as conflict intensifies and winter approaches,” it said in the report.

Israel has controlled Gaza's entire land border since May. The Israeli military body in charge of civilian affairs, known as COGAT, says it places no limits on humanitarian aid entering the territory and accuses U.N. agencies and aid groups of failing to promptly deliver it.

Those groups say their efforts are severely hampered by Israeli restrictions, ongoing fighting and displacement, and the breakdown of law and order in many areas.

At a public kitchen in central Gaza on Thursday, crowds of women and children lined up with empty pots to receive a thin tomato soup with peas and noodles.

“It’s been two weeks since we had enough food for ourselves and our children. A lot of food items disappeared from the markets because the crossings are closed,” said Mohammed Abed, who was displaced from Gaza City, in the northern part of the territory.

“We used to live a decent life, but now as you can see, we stand at kitchens to get a plate of food and bread,” said Aisha Saliby, who was also displaced from Gaza City. “End the war and let us go back home safely."

Israel allowed no food to enter northern Gaza for the first two weeks of October, according to the U.N.'s World Food Program, as it waged a major military operation there that is still ongoing. U.N. humanitarian officials said last week that aid entering Gaza is at its lowest level in months.

Most residents of northern Gaza fled after evacuation warnings at the start of the war, and Israel has not allowed them to return. An estimated 400,000 people have remained there despite the harsh conditions. Palestinians say nowhere in the besieged territory feels safe.

Many fear Israel will implement a surrender-or-starve plan proposed by former generals calling for a cutoff in aid, and for anyone who ignores evacuation orders to be classified as a militant. The Israeli government has not said whether it has adopted the plan, which rights groups say would violate international law.

The IPC report said the latest evacuation orders “have significantly disrupted humanitarian operations, and repeated displacements have steadily worn down people’s ability to cope and access food, water and medicine, deepening the vulnerability of entire communities.”

In a letter over the weekend, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin warned Israel that if it did not increase the amount of humanitarian aid allowed into Gaza within the next 30 days it could risk losing U.S. weapons supplies for the ongoing wars against Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

A similar letter sent in April — after an Israeli strike killed seven aid workers — led to an increase in humanitarian aid to the territory. But State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said this week that the supply dwindled again, falling by over 50% from its peak earlier this year.

Israel has so far allowed two shipments into northern Gaza this week — a total of 80 trucks — and it says around 430 trucks have entered through the southern Kerem Shalom Crossing since the start of the month. That is far below the 350 trucks a day that the U.S. said were needed.

The United States has spent nearly $18 billion on military aid to Israel since the war in Gaza began, according to a report for Brown University’s Costs of War project.

Magdy reported from Cairo. Associated Press reporter Wafaa Shurafa in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip contributed.

Find more of AP’s war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war.

FILE - Palestinian men collect food aid ahead of the upcoming Eid al-Adha holiday in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, on June 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi, File)

FILE - Palestinians collect food aid ahead of the upcoming Eid al-Adha holiday in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, on June 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi, File)

FILE - Palestinians are storming trucks loaded with humanitarian aid brought in through a new U.S.-built pier, in the central Gaza Strip, May 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana, File)

FILE - Humanitarian aid is airdropped to Palestinians over Gaza City, Gaza Strip, Monday, March 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Essa, File)

FILE - Palestinians are storming trucks loaded with humanitarian aid brought in through a new U.S.-built pier, in the central Gaza Strip, May 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana, File)

FILE - An aircraft airdrops humanitarian aid over the northern Gaza Strip, as seen from central Gaza, Tuesday, April 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana, File)

FILE - Palestinians are waiting for aid trucks to cross in central Gaza Strip on May 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana, File)

FILE - Palestinians line up for a meal in Rafah, Gaza Strip, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair, File)

FILE - Amira Al-Jojo, left, stands beside her 10-month-old son, Yousef Al-Jojo, who suffers from malnutrition at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, where he is undergoing treatment, in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip on June 1, 2024. At right is Nuha Al-Khaldi and her child. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

FILE - Abdulrahman Al-Rai holds his daughter Hana Al-Rai, 3, who suffers from diabetes, a weakened immune system and malnutrition at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, where she is receiving treatment, on June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

FILE - Hana Al-Rai, 3, left, who suffers from diabetes, a weakened immune system and malnutrition, rests at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, where she is receiving treatment, on June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi, File)

FILE - Palestinians line up for a free meal in Rafah, Gaza Strip, on March 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair, File)

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — The death of Liam Payne, who shot to stardom as a member of the boy band One Direction and grappled with intense global fame while still in his teens, sent shockwaves across the world Thursday as Argentine authorities continued their investigation at the scene.

Fans, music industry figures and fellow musicians paid tribute to Payne, 31, who died Wednesday after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires.

As fans and media swarmed the Casa Sur Hotel in the trendy Palermo neighborhood of Argentina’s capital, the forensics unit worked inside on Thursday collecting evidence.

The Buenos Aires police said they found Payne's hotel room “in complete disarray” with packs of clonazepam, a central nervous system depressant, as well as energy supplements and other over-the-counter drugs strewn about and “various items broken.” They added that a whiskey bottle, lighter and cellphone were retrieved from the internal courtyard where Payne’s body was found.

The circumstances surrounding Payne’s sudden death remain uncertain. Initial autopsy results indicated that Payne suffered hemorrhages and multiple traumatic injuries, a Buenos Aires security official said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the media. The official said the report showed that Payne's plunge from the third-floor balcony was what caused his fatal injuries. On Wednesday, police said Payne “had jumped from the balcony of his room,” without elaborating on how they came to that conclusion or whether the jump was intentional.

Police said they had rushed to the hotel in response to an emergency call just after 5 p.m. local time Wednesday that had warned of an “aggressive man who could be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.”

A hotel manager can be heard on a 911 call recording obtained by The Associated Press saying the hotel has “a guest who is overwhelmed with drugs and alcohol. ... He’s destroying the entire room and, well, we need you to send someone, please.” The manager’s voice becomes more anxious as the call goes on, noting the room has a balcony.

Payne was known as the tousle-headed, sensible one of the quintet that went from a TV talent show to a pop phenomenon with a huge international following of swooning fans. In recent years, he had acknowledged struggling with alcoholism, saying in a YouTube video posted in July 2023 that he had been sober for six months after receiving treatment.

“We are heartbroken. Liam will forever live in our hearts and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul,” his family said in a statement through Payne's representative. “We are supporting each other the best we can as a family and ask for privacy and space at this awful time.”

Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood, who performed with One Direction in 2014, said he was “shocked and saddened.” The Backstreet Boys said in a social media post that their hearts go out to “Directioners around the world.”

Payne was one of five members of One Direction, which formed after each auditioned for the British singing competition “The X Factor” in 2010, two years after Payne’s first attempt to get on the show. Aged 16 the second time around, Payne sang Michael Bublé’s version of “Cry Me a River,” appearing nervous at the start but warming up with the audience’s cheers and applause.

After each singer failed to make it through as a solo act, Simon Cowell and his fellow judges combined Payne, Zayn Malik, Harry Styles, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson into what would become one of the most successful boy bands ever — even though they lost the competition.

Each member had his own persona, with Payne — who hailed from Wolverhampton in England's West Midlands region — known as the responsible one. The band became known for their pop sound and romantic hits including “What Makes You Beautiful,” “Night Changes” and “Story of My Life.”

Payne had prominent solos on songs including “Stole My Heart” and “Change Your Ticket,” co-writing several of the band’s hits. One Direction had six Top 10 hits on the Billboard charts and a highly loyal fan base, known as “Directioners,” many of them teen girls.

In the wake of his death, dozens of those fans formed lines that spilled into the cordoned-off street as police stood sentinel outside the hotel, before Payne’s body was removed around three hours after the fall. Young women filming with their cellphones expressed shock and heartbreak as a makeshift memorial with rows of candles and bouquets quickly grew.

“I’ve always loved One Direction since I was little,” said 18-year-old Juana Relh, outside Payne’s hotel. “To see that he died and that there will never be another reunion of the boys is unbelievable, it kills me.”

With his meteoric rise to fame, Payne had said that it took some time to adjust to life in the public eye.

“I don’t think you can ever deal with that. It's all a bit crazy for us to see that people get in that sort of state of mind about us and what we do,” he said in a 2013 interview with the AP, recounting an experience where a fan was in a state of shock upon meeting him.

One Direction announced an indefinite “hiatus” in 2016, and Payne — like each of his erstwhile bandmates — pursued a solo career, shifting toward EDM and hip-hop.

While Styles became a huge solo star, the others had more modest success. Payne's 2017 single “Strip That Down,” featuring Quavo, reached the Billboard Top 10, and stayed on the charts for several months. He put out an album “LP1” in 2019, and his last release — a single called “Teardrops” — was released in March.

In 2020, to mark the 10th anniversary of One Direction, Payne shared a screenshot of a text message he sent to his father on the day he joined the group, which read: “I’m in a boyband.”

“What a journey … I had no idea what we were in for when I sent this text to my dad years ago at this exact time the band was formed,” he wrote.

Payne had a 7-year-old son, Bear Grey Payne, with his former girlfriend, the musician Cheryl, who was known as Cheryl Cole when she performed with Girls Aloud. She was an “X Factor” judge during One Direction’s season, although their relationship began years later.

Payne was previously engaged to Maya Henry, from August 2020 to early 2022. Henry released a novel earlier this year that she said was based on their relationship.

In addition to his son, he is survived by his parents, Geoff and Karen Payne, and two older sisters, Ruth and Nicola.

Huamani reported from Los Angeles. Associated Press journalists Natacha Pisarenko and Almudena Calatrava contributed reporting from Buenos Aires, Argentina.

FILE - Liam Payne performs during the first day of BBC Radio 1's Biggest Weekend at Singleton Park, in Swansea, Wales, May 26, 2018. (Ben Birchall/PA via AP, File)

Forensic investigators exit the hotel where former One Direction singer Liam Payne was found dead after he fell from a balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

FILE - One Direction members, from right, Liam Payne and Harry Styles perform on ABC's "Good Morning America" at Rumsey Playfield/SummerStage on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2015, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File)

Fans light candles outside the hotel where former One Direction singer Liam Payne was found dead after he fell from a balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

Fans light candles outside the hotel where former One Direction singer Liam Payne was found dead after he fell from a balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

Police restrain fans gathering outside the hotel where former One Direction singer Liam Payne was found dead after he fell from a balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

FILE - One Direction members, from left, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Liam Payne perform on NBC's "Today" show, Nov. 13, 2012 in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File)

People embrace outside the hotel where former One Direction singer Liam Payne was found dead after he fell from a balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

Fans light candles outside the hotel where former One Direction singer Liam Payne was found dead after he fell from a balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

Fans light candles outside the hotel where former One Direction singer Liam Payne was found dead after he fell from a balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)