Starvation as a weapon of genocide in Gaza: Testimonies and evidence

GAZA, (Palestine Foundation Information Center) The Israeli occupation authorities have imposed a suffocating and comprehensive blockade on the Gaza Strip, characterized by the closure of border crossings and the prevention of food, medicine, and humanitarian aid from entering, in blatant violation of international humanitarian law. A deliberate starvation policy has been used as a weapon of war, alongside mass killings and the systematic destruction of essential civilian infrastructure, as part of the largest planned, open, and direct genocide targeting the Palestinian people.

Since October 8, 2023, until today Wednesday 23/7/2025, the occupation authorities have continued carrying out these complex crimes in a deliberate and systematic manner, blatantly disregarding all international laws and norms, using starvation and thirst as tools of collective punishment and means to subjugate civilians, forcing them into displacement or slow death.

Israeli officials have openly declared their intent to use starvation as a tool of war from the earliest days of the assault. On October 9, 2023, then Israeli War Minister Yoav Gallant said, “We are imposing a complete siege on Gaza. No electricity, no food, no water, no gas. Everything is closed. We are fighting human animals and we act accordingly.”

This statement, made by the top military authority in the Israeli government, can only be understood as an explicit, official admission of criminal intent to use blockade and starvation as tools of genocide in the context of a comprehensive war targeting the Palestinian existence in the Gaza Strip.

Over the course of the months-long assault, the occupation forces employed starvation as a method of gradual extermination.

This was done through preventing food from entering, bombing sources of food, and targeting community kitchens and food relief centers. This led to a sharp escalation in famine levels and increasing deaths due to hunger, exhaustion, and malnutrition.

Famine declaration criteria

International organizations follow clear criteria for declaring a famine, which require three conditions:
• At least 20% of the population facing extreme food shortages.
• At least 30% of children suffering from acute malnutrition (dangerous weight loss relative to height).
• A death rate of at least 1 adult per 10,000 per day, or 2 children per 10,000 per day.

Indicators coming from the Gaza Strip suggest that these conditions have been met since early 2024, making the situation legally and humanly a documented famine.

I. Background and context

Since 2006, the Gaza Strip has been under a gradual Israeli blockade that crippled the economy and impoverished the population. Unemployment exceeded 45%, reaching 67% among youth and university graduates, with most families depending on aid to meet minimal needs.

However, the aggression that began on October 7, 2023, marked a transition to an unprecedented level of deliberate destruction. Israel openly declared starvation as a weapon by closing crossings, blocking food supplies, and directly targeting warehouses, mills, bakeries, agricultural lands, markets, and even community kitchens.

It also blocked access to the sea and fishing and directly targeted the health infrastructure that supports aid convoys and treats malnutrition patients.

II. Stages of starvation

1. Complete closure (Beginning October 7, 2023)

All crossings were closed, and no food, water, or fuel was allowed in. Water supply was cut, making thirst a component of the starvation policy. The population depended on small reserves, which quickly ran out amid total supply chain collapse.

2. Ground invasions and regional isolation (Late October 2023)

Occupation forces began ground incursions, isolating northern and central Gaza from the south. Famine became evident in the isolated regions, especially northern Gaza.

3. Partial opening and short truce (October 21 & November 23–30, 2023)

Twenty aid trucks were allowed in through the Rafah crossing on October 21, covering only 5% of the need. During the November truce, most aid was directed to the south while the north remained without relief.

4. Resumption of attacks and starvation of the north (December 2023)

As the aggression resumed, famine deepened in the north. Residents began relying on tree leaves and animal feed, with documented deaths from hunger. The occupation forces deliberately bombed farms, bakeries, and any remaining food sources, even turning food relief centers into military targets.

5. Flour Massacres

In a symbolic attempt to deflect blame, occupation forces allowed flour trucks to reach collection points like Kuwait and Nabulsi roundabouts. These sites became massacre zones, as forces opened fire and shelled starving crowds. These massacres continued for months.

6. Partial relief (Second Half of 2024)

After the January 19, 2025 ceasefire, some aid was allowed in, though it never exceeded 30% of daily needs.

7. Total Re-tightening (March 2, 2025)

Occupation forces again sealed off all crossings, pushing the famine to unprecedented levels.

Aid distribution massacres (May–July 2025)

On May 27, 2025, Israel announced aid distribution through a newly created entity named the “Gaza Humanitarian Organization,” supervised by special forces and American mercenaries.

These aid points became sites of mass killings. By July 19, 2025, these massacres had resulted in 1,021 martyrs and over 6,511 injured, mostly civilians waiting in bread queues. Occupation forces also intensified targeting of food relief centers and markets to eliminate any unofficial food sources.

III. Statistics and indicators (As of July 2025)

• 111 documented hunger-related deaths, mostly children, as of July 22.
• Likely dozens more unrecorded starvation deaths registered as “normal deaths.”
• 2.3 million people trapped without food, water, or medicine.
• Complete lack of flour, infant formula, and basic foods.
• 42 food relief kitchens targeted by occupation.
• 57 aid and food distribution centers targeted.
• 121 attacks on aid convoys and humanitarian shipments.
• 650,000 children at risk of death from hunger and malnutrition.
• 12,500 cancer patients in urgent need of treatment and nutrition.
• 60,000 pregnant women at risk due to lack of healthcare and food.

According to IPC global classification

• 1.95 million people (93%) face acute food crisis (Phase 3 or worse).
• 495,000 people (22%) are in actual famine (Phase 5).
• 1 million people (54%) in Phase 4 (emergency).

According to UNICEF

• 71,000 children suffer from acute malnutrition.
• 17,000 pregnant or breastfeeding women need urgent nutritional and medical intervention.

According to UNRWA

• Around 74,000 child screenings conducted.
• Identified 5,500 cases of acute malnutrition.
• Over 800 cases of severe acute malnutrition.

IV. Legal Dimension

Israel’s systematic starvation campaign qualifies as

• A war crime under Article 8 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
• A grave breach of Articles 55 and 56 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which obligate occupying powers to provide food and medical care.
• A violation of Article 54 of the same Convention, which prohibits targeting civilian survival means.
• The cumulative effect of starvation amounts to genocide under Article II of the 1948 Genocide Convention.

Statements from Israeli officials and repeated practices show direct criminal intent to use hunger as a method of extermination, not merely as a byproduct of war.

V. Evidence and Testimonies

• Official UN, WFP, OCHA, and UN Special Rapporteur reports confirm Gaza is facing “the worst hunger crisis in modern history,” with starvation used as a systematic tool of aggression.
• On-the-ground testimonies from doctors and civilians documenting child deaths from dehydration and malnutrition amid total absence of necessary medical supplies.
• Verified documents, images, and reports confirm deliberate destruction of bakeries, mills, farms, and food storage facilities to wipe out local food production.
• Repeated denial of aid convoys, obstruction of aid entry, and refusal to open humanitarian corridors despite intense international pressure.
• Targeting and assassination of police and local committees that organized aid distribution—intended to create chaos and prevent organized food access.

VI. Recommendations and required actions

• Immediate lifting of the blockade and cessation of starvation as a weapon against civilians.
  Permanent opening of all crossings to allow unrestricted flow of food, water, and medicine.
  Israeli leaders should stand trial at the International Criminal Court on charges of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.
• Independent and neutral international monitoring of the entry and distribution of humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip and protection of relief and civil teams.
• Expansion of UN investigations to include the systematic starvation and thirst policy as part of the genocide case in Gaza.
• Dispatch urgent international medical and food missions, supervised by the UN, to save hundreds of thousands of children, women, and elderly people from death due to hunger or nutrition-related illnesses.
• Call for an emergency session of the UN General Assembly and Human Rights Council to condemn the blockade and starvation policy and demand urgent protection for Palestinian civilians.
  Support documentation and legal accountability campaigns led by civil society organizations and human rights entities, with case submissions to relevant courts and international prosecutors.
  Pressure international media outlets to force Israel to allow entry of international press into the Gaza Strip to cover the starvation crimes, classify them as genocide, and bring to account media platforms complicit in justifying, covering-up, or distorting facts.
• Mobilize international communities, unions, and organizations to raise global public awareness and organize protests and actions pressuring governments to adopt firm stances against Israeli aggression and starvation policies.
• Expose deliberate Israeli disinformation and produce verified, produce a documented and translated documentary exposing the scope of the crime and reinforcing the Palestinian humanitarian and legal narrative.