Amnesty International has accused Israel of pursuing a “deliberate policy of starvation” in Gaza, as the United Nations and humanitarian organizations warn that famine is rapidly spreading across the Palestinian enclave.
Israel’s “Ongoing Genocide” Killed 62,000 Palestinians
In its latest report, based on testimonies from displaced Palestinians and Gaza-based medical workers, Amnesty International stated that Israel’s military strategy is designed to “systematically destroy the health, wellbeing, and social fabric of Palestinian life.”
The rights group described these actions as part of Israel’s “ongoing genocide” in Gaza.
Since launching its offensive on October 7, 2023, Israel’s bombardment has killed nearly 62,000 Palestinians and reduced much of Gaza to rubble.
Arrest Warnings For Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has already issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes.
Testimonies from Gaza: Hunger, Miscarriage Fears, and Desperation
Amnesty International findings are based on interviews with 19 displaced Palestinians living in makeshift camps and two medical staff members working in Gaza City hospitals.
- Hadeel, 28, a pregnant mother of two, expressed fear of miscarriage due to hunger: “I panic thinking about the impact of my hunger on my baby’s health, weight, and future amid bombs and tents.”
- Aziza, 75, said she feels like a burden on her family and wishes for death, stressing that her grandchildren deserve to live more than she does.
These testimonies highlight the severe humanitarian crisis as Israel intensifies attacks on Gaza City, threatening nearly one million Palestinians with further displacement.
Amnesty International Calls for Ceasefire and Lifting of Blockade
Erika Guevara Rosas, Amnesty’s Senior Director for Research and Advocacy, condemned the situation:
“The testimonies we collected are not just accounts of suffering, they are an indictment of an international system that has allowed Israel to torment Palestinians with near-total impunity for decades.”
She urged an immediate ceasefire, a complete lifting of Israel’s blockade, and an end to “inhumane policies” that disproportionately harm children, people with disabilities, the elderly, and pregnant women.
Global Outcry Over Famine in Gaza
More than 250 Palestinians, including 110 children, have already died of malnutrition, Amnesty International reported.
Despite widespread condemnation, Israel continues to heavily restrict aid entering Gaza, at times halting supplies completely.
The enclave’s 2.1 million residents have been under blockade since 2007, with conditions worsening dramatically since the war began.
Global Calls for Unrestricted Aid Access
The UN and international leaders have warned that “famine is unfolding before our eyes.”
In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of Britain, Canada, Australia, Japan, and EU countries called for unrestricted aid access.
They stressed that Gaza’s humanitarian crisis has reached “unimaginable levels.”
Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and military authorities have rejected accusations of deliberate starvation, dismissing reports of widespread malnutrition despite mounting evidence.
