While the European Union has not adopted any concrete sanctions against Israel for obstructing the passage of humanitarian aid to Gaza (see EUROPE B13690A3), a special report by the IPC (Integrated Food Security Phase Classification) - the UN-backed global hunger observatory - confirmed on Friday 22 August that almost a third of the Gazan population, or 641,000 people, are expected to face conditions described as “catastrophic” (IPC phase 5) between 16 August and 30 September.