Foreign Desk: In the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, accusations have surfaced that Israel is weaponizing hunger against the people of Gaza, as alleged by the human rights organization Human Rights Watch (HRW).
The organization has called upon world leaders to condemn this “appalling war crime.”
HRW claims that Israel is deliberately depriving Palestinians in Gaza of essential resources such as food and water. The use of hunger as a tactic in armed conflict is deemed a heinous war crime, according to international law.
In a press release, HRW cites statements from Israeli officials, survivor interviews, reports from aid organizations, and satellite imagery as evidence supporting their claims.
The organization asserts that the evidence clearly shows that Israel is employing a policy, supported by high-ranking Israeli officials, to deliberately use hunger as a method of warfare against the Palestinian population.
Omar Shakir, the director of Human Rights Watch in Israel and Palestine, stated, “For over two months, Israel has systematically obstructed Palestinians in Gaza from accessing essential resources, using a policy endorsed or tolerated by Israeli senior officials and exploiting a reprehensible tactic of using hunger as a method of warfare.”
He further emphasized, “World leaders must speak out against this appalling war crime. It has had devastating consequences on the people of Gaza.”
The most recent statistics indicate that the Israeli military’s actions have resulted in 18,787 Palestinians killed and another 50,897 injured in the region. Thousands more are believed to be suffering under the rubble of destroyed buildings.
Israel’s Defense Minister, Yigal Galant, had previously announced the commencement of the aggression against Gaza, stating, “Israel is completely blockading Gaza… there is no electricity, no food, no water, no gas—everything is shut off.” Galant described Palestinians as “inhuman” and expressed support for their aggression against Gaza.
As the conflict continues, international attention remains on the plight of the people in Gaza, who are enduring the devastating consequences of the conflict.