Gaza on the Brink: Starvation and Siege Amid Ongoing War Crimes

The Gaza Strip is currently enduring one of the most catastrophic humanitarian crises in recent history. Home to over two million Palestinians, the territory has been placed under an intense and unrelenting blockade by Israeli occupation forces.

This blockade, in place for years, has escalated drastically since the beginning of the war in October 2023, transforming Gaza into what humanitarian organizations now describe as a zone of collective punishment, where starvation is systematically used as a weapon of war.

 Since the resumption of hostilities on March 18, 2024, the Israeli military has intensified its operations, contributing to a shocking death toll of 50,933 Palestinians in Gaza since the war began, including 1,563 in the weeks following the renewed assault. These attacks have not only taken lives but have also destroyed essential infrastructure, including hospitals, water systems, electricity networks, and food supply chains. The most harrowing aspect of this policy, as many international observers note, is the deliberate and systematic use of hunger as a tool to break the spirit and resistance of the population.

 Humanitarian aid and essential supplies have been obstructed from entering Gaza, causing the food crisis to reach an unprecedented level. The World Food Programme (WFP) warned on March 27 that Gaza is on the brink of mass starvation. Food reserves are dwindling fast, border crossings remain closed, and military activity is hampering distribution efforts, endangering the lives of aid workers and leaving civilians without the means to survive.

 The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) framework now considers Gaza to be at the threshold of Phase 5—Catastrophe/Famine—where widespread deaths due to hunger and malnutrition are imminent. According to United Nations assessments, thousands of Palestinians have already died due to hunger, dehydration, and preventable diseases caused by the blockade. Thousands more are expected to follow if immediate international intervention does not occur.

 More than 90% of children under five, pregnant women, and nursing mothers in Gaza do not receive the minimum daily nutritional requirements. Malnutrition among children has surged alarmingly, with an estimated 60,000 children currently in need of urgent treatment. Compounding the crisis, Israeli forces have blocked the delivery of more than 180,000 doses of routine childhood vaccines—sufficient to immunize and protect 60,000 children under the age of two.

 This crisis is not simply a consequence of war but a result of calculated and deliberate decisions. The closure of crossings and the targeted destruction of bakeries, aid centers, and food kitchens paint a grim picture of an orchestrated campaign. In early April, the WFP confirmed it had been forced to shut down all 25 bakeries it supports across Gaza due to the lack of flour and fuel. These bakeries were vital lifelines, feeding hundreds of thousands daily.

 Despite this, Israeli authorities continue to claim that Gaza has “sufficient food.” The contradiction is stark. UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric rebutted these claims, saying, “We have reached the end of our supplies. WFP does not close its bakeries for nothing. If there is no flour, if there is no cooking gas, the bakeries will not be able to open.”

 The consequences of this strategy are dire. In one incident, a community food kitchen in the Nuseirat refugee camp—where displaced families gathered to receive meals—was bombed, killing nine civilians. Another tragic story emerged about a young man named Mahmoud Al-Karimi, who had spoken of the humiliation and desperation of queuing for food, only to be killed in an airstrike while waiting in line two days later. These acts have fueled widespread accusations of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

 Women Journalists Without Chains (WJWC) has been vocal in its condemnation of the Israeli government's approach. The group describes the use of starvation as part of a broader, deliberate policy aimed at subjecting Palestinians to living conditions calculated to destroy them in whole or in part—an act that meets the legal definition of genocide under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

 In recent months, WJWC has closely monitored not only the humanitarian situation on the ground but also the rhetoric and official statements from Israeli leaders that reflect a premeditated strategy. On March 2, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu formally declared the closure of all border crossings, halting the flow of humanitarian, relief, and medical supplies. His government has doubled down on its hardline stance, with Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar justifying the move by accusing humanitarian aid of becoming Hamas's primary source of funding—a claim unsupported by independent verification.

 “We will not allow food into the Strip,” Sa’ar stated on March 4. “The repeated warnings of the danger of famine are a lie that we will not believe.” This sweeping generalization, echoed by other Israeli officials, fails to distinguish between combatants and the civilian population—a principle enshrined in international humanitarian law.

 Further reinforcing this policy, the Israeli Supreme Court on March 27 rejected a petition to resume the entry of humanitarian aid, effectively legitimizing the government’s decision. WJWC criticized the ruling, arguing that it highlights the complicity of Israel’s judicial institutions in facilitating state-led crimes. The organization also cited additional inflammatory statements, including that of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who declared on April 7, “Not a single grain of wheat will enter the Strip.” Such declarations are widely seen as incitement to collective punishment through starvation.

 Meanwhile, international agencies and human rights organizations have raised alarm over what they describe as systematic targeting of food distribution systems. Reports confirm the bombing of at least 26 food kitchens and 37 humanitarian aid centers. These facilities, known locally as "Takiyat" (community food kitchens), serve as vital support systems for thousands of displaced families who have lost everything.

 Philippe Lazzarini, the Commissioner-General of UNRWA, remarked that humanity is experiencing one of its “darkest hours.” He emphasized that this is the longest period Gaza has gone without aid since the beginning of the war. The implication is chilling: the total blockade and deliberate obstruction of life-saving assistance represent not just negligence, but an active effort to increase suffering and accelerate death through starvation.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has issued multiple rulings ordering Israel to cease its genocidal practices and ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid. Binding orders were issued on January 26, February 16, and March 28, 2024, following the genocide case filed by South Africa. Yet, Israel continues to defy these legal obligations.

 Women Journalists Without Chains has called on the international community to take decisive and immediate action. WJWC urges governments and global institutions to pressure the Netanyahu administration to lift the blockade, halt the use of starvation as a method of warfare, and permit the unrestricted flow of humanitarian aid. The organization insists that only meaningful consequences—such as economic sanctions and the suspension of military and trade agreements—will deter further violations.

Furthermore, WJWC demands the prosecution of those responsible for orchestrating and executing these crimes. The organization stresses that perpetrators, including those wanted by the International Criminal Court, must be held accountable. Justice must not be delayed or denied to the people of Gaza.

In conclusion, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is not merely a byproduct of war—it is a deliberate, systematic policy that weaponizes hunger to break the will of a besieged population. The international community must rise to meet this moment with clarity and courage. To remain silent is to be complicit in a crime that history will remember as one of the gravest of our time.