Human Rights Watch is accusing Israel of deliberately starving Gaza’s population, a method of warfare that it described as a war crime. The New York-based rights organization said Monday that Israeli forces were “deliberately blocking the delivery of water, food, and fuel, while wilfully impeding humanitarian assistance (and) apparently razing agricultural areas”
Quick Read
Human Rights Watch Accusation: Human Rights Watch accuses Israel of intentionally starving Gaza’s population, labeling it a war crime.
Blocking Essential Supplies: Israeli forces are accused of deliberately preventing the delivery of water, food, and fuel to Gaza, and obstructing humanitarian assistance.
Destruction of Agricultural Areas: Allegations include the willful destruction of agricultural areas in Gaza.
United Nations Report on Hunger: The United Nations’ food agency reported a significant increase in severe hunger levels in Gaza households as of December 14.
Israeli Officials’ Statements: Human Rights Watch cites statements by Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and others, indicating an intent to deprive Gaza civilians of essential resources. Some officials condition humanitarian aid on the release of hostages held by Palestinian militants.
War Crime Allegations: The starving of civilians is highlighted as a war crime under international humanitarian law.
Restricted Humanitarian Aid: Initially, aid to Gaza was severely limited, funneled through a single border crossing from Egypt. U.S. pressure led to Israel reopening a second crossing, but aid remains below prewar levels amid increasing needs and ongoing conflict.
Israeli Army’s Response: Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari of the Israeli army refutes the accusations, blaming Hamas for the suffering in Gaza and alleging misappropriation of international a
The Associated Press has the story:
Human Rights Watch accuses Israel of deliberately starving Gaza’s civilians
Newslooks- JERUSALEM (AP)
Human Rights Watch is accusing Israel of deliberately starving Gaza’s population, a method of warfare that it described as a war crime.
The New York-based rights organization said Monday that Israeli forces were “deliberately blocking the delivery of water, food, and fuel, while wilfully impeding humanitarian assistance (and) apparently razing agricultural areas”
The United Nations’ food agency reported on Dec. 14 that 56% of Gaza’s households were experiencing “severe levels of hunger,” up from 38% two weeks earlier.
HRW said that following the Oct. 7 attack by Gaza-based militants on Israel that killed around 1,200 people, top Israeli officials, including Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, made public statements “expressing their aim to deprive civilians in Gaza of food, water and fuel.” Other Israeli officials have made statements conditioning the provision of humanitarian aid on the release of the approximately 240 hostages Palestinian militants took into Gaza, HRW said.
The starving of civilians is a war crime under international humanitarian law. For the first two months of the war, humanitarian aid was delivered to Gaza through a single border crossing from Egypt, severely restricting the amount of food and other supplies that could reach the coastal enclave’s residents. After pressure from the United States, Israel reopened a second border-crossing into Gaza last week. But the amount of aid entering the territory is still less than half of prewar imports, even as needs have soared and fighting hinders delivery in many areas.
The Israeli army’s chief spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, said on Monday that Israel is not restricting the amount of humanitarian aid.
“We know civilians in Gaza are suffering. This is because of Hamas’ strategy and tactics and because Hamas steals the international aid meant for them,” he said.
