Amnesty International has declared that Israel is pursuing a “deliberate policy of starvation” in Gaza. The human rights organization’s report is based on the testimonies of displaced Palestinians as well as medical staff treating children suffering from malnutrition.
Gaza’s Health Ministry announced on Sunday that seven people, including two children, died due to causes linked to hunger. The United Nations (UN) and aid agencies have also warned that the threat of famine in the region is rapidly increasing.
In its report, Amnesty stated: “Israel is systematically using starvation as a weapon in the occupied Gaza Strip.” The organization emphasized that this policy targets not only basic humanitarian living conditions but also the broader social fabric of life in Gaza. The statement underscored that Israel’s actions over the past 22 months have made it impossible for Palestinians to sustain their lives, calling it part of an ongoing genocide.
Israel, meanwhile, continues to heavily restrict humanitarian aid entering Gaza but rejects accusations of deliberately imposing starvation. Last week, COGAT—the unit of Israel’s Ministry of Defense responsible for civil affairs in the Palestinian territories—released a report denying widespread malnutrition and disputing the figures announced by Gaza’s Health Ministry.
On the other hand, hospitals and eyewitnesses in Gaza reported that at least 17 people waiting for aid were killed by Israeli fire on Sunday. According to witnesses, nine of the victims were waiting near the Morag corridor for UN aid convoys when they were killed.
Hamza Asfour, who witnessed the incident, described the situation:
“It’s either taking this risk or watching my family die of hunger. We have no other choice.”
