Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu strongly denied accusations that his government has enforced starvation as a strategy of war, asserting that no one in Gaza would have survived after two years of warfare if such an approach had been used. Speaking at a high-profile press conference, he highlighted Israel’s allowance of humanitarian aid while placing blame on Hamas for fomenting crisis conditions.
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Netanyahu Defends Aid Policy
Netanyahu made these comments while simultaneously disclaiming any deliberate starvation policy in Gaza. He asserted that Israel has allowed nearly two million tonnes of aid into Gaza; which he characterizes as generous by military standards. Netanyahu pointed to aid delivery as evidence that Israel cares about humanitarian considerations – something The GuardianHumanitarian Crisis Counters Netanyahu’s Claims
However, reports and eyewitness accounts paint an entirely different picture:
The Gaza Health Ministry under Hamas administration reports that starvation has claimed the lives of 217 individuals since January, including 100 children, signaling an increasing death toll due to hunger.
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The New Yorker +6 Wikipedia + 6PBS + 6Acadena Sera +6 /Al Jazeera.
International aid agencies warn that only 14% of the required humanitarian aid is entering Gaza, far short of the estimated 600 trucks per day needed to sustain its population.
El Pais +3 The Guardian +3 Wikipedia.
Michael Fakhri, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food has publicly denounced Israel for starving Gaza and their denial of famine conditions, as reported in PBS and The Guardian and Wikipedia.
Analysts report widespread malnutrition and hunger across Gaza, with many residents going days without receiving proper meals. According to World Health Organization records, malnutrition-linked deaths have increased substantially this year with at least 63 documented fatalities this year alone. WBS/PBS reports this.
International Outrage Continues
The international response has been swift. Human rights organizations such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International assert that restricting food access in Gaza resembles starvation as a weapon of war, potentially amounting to war crimes.
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Furthermore, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant of Israel, alleging reasonable grounds that they bear criminal responsibility for using starvation as a form of warfare – in addition to other charges including persecution and inhumane acts.
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The Battle of Narratives: Denial vs. Reality
Netanyahu’s denials stand in stark contrast with on-the-ground realities. Israel claims it facilitates aid, yet evidence points towards an ongoing humanitarian emergency in Gaza with many suffering severe food insecurity; international critics point to Israel’s restrictive aid regime and distribution controls as central components to this disaster, contrary to official narratives. CSIS/Wikipedia have documented such claims.
Netanyahu’s defense that Israeli policy is the antidote for starvation sets up a contentious contrast with mounting global evidence. While he highlighted the amount of aid allowed into Gaza, independent data and humanitarian accounts revealed critical deficiencies; warnings from UN officials and international legal actions revealed serious violations against international humanitarian law.