UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- The UN humanitarian chief on Wednesday called for an immediate, sustained cessation of hostilities in Gaza to prevent further loss of life and to stop famine from expanding.

Over half a million people currently face starvation, destitution and death. By the end of September, that number could exceed 640,000, said UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher in a briefing to the Security Council delivered on his behalf by his deputy, Joyce Msuya.

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Famine Review Committee on Friday confirmed that famine is occurring in Gaza and is projected to expand further to Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis cities by the end of September, noted Fletcher.

He said that approximately 1 million people are in IPC Phase 4. And over 390,000 are in IPC Phase 3. Virtually no one in Gaza is untouched by hunger.

IPC Phase 3 means an acute food and livelihood crisis. IPC Phase 4 means humanitarian emergency, one step before IPC Phase 5, which means famine.

At least 132,000 children under the age of 5 are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition between now and mid-2026. The number of those at risk of death among them has now tripled to over 43,000. For pregnant and breastfeeding women, that number is predicted to surge from 17,000 to 55,000, said Fletcher.

"Ending this human-made crisis demands that we act as if it were our mother, our father, our child, our family trying to survive in Gaza today. We must all do more, and quickly," said the UN humanitarian chief. ■