Newsletters
Amnesty International accused Israel of implementing a systematic policy to deliberately starve Palestinians in Gaza, documenting testimonies that reveal intentional destruction of health, welfare and social fabric in the occupied territory.
The London-based organization said new witness accounts show Israel is consciously worsening living conditions for Palestinians in Gaza to target their physical destruction.
According to Gaza's Health Ministry, 110 children have died from malnutrition-related complications as of Aug. 17.
Erika Guevara-Rosas, Amnesty International's global director of research, advocacy and policy, said the testimonies collected represent "not only the suffering endured, but also a damning indictment of the permission the international system has given Israel to torment Palestinians in an environment of near-total impunity for decades."
"Israel's inhumane policies have turned mass starvation into a bitter reality in Gaza," Guevara-Rosas said, emphasizing that reversing this requires unconditionally ending the blockade and establishing a sustainable ceasefire.
The organization interviewed 19 Palestinians living in three temporary settlement camps in Gaza and two health workers treating malnourished children in recent weeks.
"Palestinian children are being left to die of hunger. This forces families into an impossible choice: Either helplessly listen to the cries of their weakened children begging for food, or risk death or injury in the search for aid," Guevara-Rosas said.
Guevara-Rosas noted that Israel's blockade and ongoing attacks have a devastating impact, particularly on children, people with disabilities, chronically ill patients, the elderly, and pregnant and nursing women.
"This situation cannot be solved merely by allowing more aid trucks to enter or increasing dangerous air drops. Health facilities must be equipped with necessary materials and equipment, civilians must be saved from the threat of mass displacement, and reliable humanitarian organizations must be allowed to deliver aid safely," she said.
The Amnesty official emphasized that while millions protest globally and leaders limit themselves to rhetoric, Israel's deliberate and systematic starvation policy continues to inflict unbearable suffering on the entire population.
Gaza Strip, under Israeli attacks and strict blockade restricting humanitarian aid entry, is experiencing a humanitarian catastrophe with spreading hunger and shortages of water, medicine, medical supplies and hygiene materials.
Deaths from hunger are increasing in the Gaza Strip, particularly among children. Local and international circles state that Israel is using "hunger and thirst as weapons."
The Israeli army, which has destroyed 88% of Gaza by also demolishing civilian infrastructure, frequently targets Palestinians it has displaced through evacuation orders in the areas where they shelter.
In Gaza, with a population of approximately 2.3 million, the number of those displaced by Israeli attacks and evacuation orders has reached 2 million, with many people displaced multiple times.
Palestinians displaced without basic supplies are trying to survive in makeshift tents or in overcrowded schools where infectious diseases spread, lacking hygiene materials and even adequate lavatories.
The Israeli army bombs the tents of displaced people and civilian locations where they shelter through daily attacks.
1 min read
Israel has killed more than 61,900 Palestinians in Gaza since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave and brought it to the verge of famine.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recently announced that Australia will recognize the state of Palestine in September, along with other governments.
2 min read
