- HRW accuses Israel of using starvation as warfare in Gaza, citing public statements by Israeli officials expressing intent to deprive civilians and obstruct humanitarian aid.
- HRW report emphasises the severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza, citing intentional destruction of infrastructure by Israeli forces, calling for an immediate end to alleged starvation tactics and the lifting of the Gaza blockade.
In a recent report, Human Rights Watch (HRW), a global human rights non-profit organization based in the United States, has accused the Israeli government of employing starvation as a method of warfare in the Gaza Strip, labeling such actions as war crimes. The allegations stem from public statements made by high-ranking Israeli officials, including Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, and Energy Minister Israel Katz, expressing their intent to deprive civilians in Gaza of essential resources.
According to HRW, Israeli forces are deliberately impeding the delivery of water, food, and fuel to Gaza, exacerbating a dire humanitarian crisis. The report sheds light on the profound hardships faced by the civilian population in Gaza, based on interviews with 11 displaced Palestinians conducted between November 24 and December 4. These individuals recounted the scarcity of potable water, the lack of food leading to empty shops and lengthy lines, and exorbitant prices in southern Gaza. The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) reported on December 6 that 9 out of 10 households in northern Gaza and 2 out of 3 households in southern Gaza had spent at least one full day and night without food.
The report highlights that intentionally starving civilians is prohibited under international humanitarian law, and such actions amount to war crimes. The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court explicitly considers that “depriving them of objects indispensable to their survival, including willfully impeding relief supplies,” as a war crime.
Furthermore, HRW condemns Israel’s ongoing blockade of Gaza, in effect for more than 16 years, as collective punishment against the civilian population, constituting another war crime. As the occupying power in Gaza under the Fourth Geneva Convention, Israel has a duty to ensure that the civilian population receives essential supplies, including food and medical aid.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached alarming levels. On November 17, the WFP warned of the “immediate possibility” of starvation, emphasizing the near non-existence of food and water supplies. Subsequent reports on December 3 indicated a “high risk of famine,” suggesting that Gaza’s food system was on the brink of collapse.
The destruction of critical infrastructure, including wastewater and desalination facilities, hospitals, and bakeries, has compounded the dire situation. Israel’s military actions, including extensive airstrikes, have resulted in widespread damage or destruction of objects necessary for the survival of the civilian population, prompting UN experts to warn that the significant damage “threatens to make the continuation of Palestinian life in Gaza impossible.”
HRW calls for immediate action to cease the alleged use of starvation as a method of warfare. The organization urges the lifting of the blockade on Gaza, the restoration of essential services, and the facilitation of humanitarian aid. Additionally, HRW calls on concerned governments, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, and others, to suspend military assistance to Israel until actions violating international humanitarian law cease.
