More than 50 internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Western Tigray have died of starvation and lack of medical care at Hitsats IDP Camp in Northwestern Tigray since July 2025, amid worsening humanitarian conditions.
A team of journalists from Tigray Television who recently visited the camp confirmed that the situation remains critical, with at least 1,700 displaced people currently at risk of death if urgent food and medical assistance is not provided. During their visit, the journalists observed elderlies, women, and children severely weakened by hunger, many lying inside shelters without access to basic medical treatment.
Several families report that sick individuals are unable to receive care due to the absence of medicines and health services in the camp. Families of the victims told reporters that daily deaths are becoming increasingly common, mainly caused by extreme food shortages and lack of medical support.
According to the IDPs, the limited food aid distributed, which is15 kilograms per household, is insufficient to sustain families. They say half of the ration is often sold to purchase supplementary food or basic necessities, while the remaining portion is used for cooking, leaving families malnourished. The IDPs explain that the type of food aid provided is difficult for adults, children, and sick individuals to consume, further aggravating hunger and health complications.
Adminstrator of Western Tigray, Gidey Azenaw state that more than 50 IDPs have died at Htsats IDP Camp since July 2025 alone, while over 300 IDPs have lost their lives since 2022 due to shortages of food and medicine. The adminstrator warns that more than 1,700 people are now facing imminent danger if immediate humanitarian assistance is not delivered.
The humanitarian crisis affects all IDPs from Western Tigray who were displaced due to the war on Tigray that began five years ago. Despite the signing of the Pretoria Peace Agreement, the IDPs say they continue to suffer from a lack of adequate food, healthcare, shelter, and livelihoods. In addition to hunger and disease, the IDPs report exposure to further dangers, including attacks by wild animals due to the absence of secure shelters.
There are growing calls for urgent intervention to the international community, humanitarian organizations, and donors, amid warning that without urgent action, the death toll in Hitsats Camp is likely to rise further in the coming days.
