Dr. H. A. Hellyer on Netanyahu's Use of Starvation as a Tool of War in Gaza

International Condemnation of Gaza Occupation Plans

• 🌍 The international community has responded negatively to Israel's cabinet approval of plans to occupy all of Gaza.
• 📌 This move is seen as a deepening of the occupation, which has been ongoing since 1967, with significant expansion of the Israeli military presence.
• 🇫🇷 France has publicly and strongly opposed these plans, with no international support evident.

Humanitarian Crisis and Starvation Risk

• ⚠️ The risk of starvation for large segments of the Palestinian population in Gaza is extremely serious, with UN officials warning of days or weeks before it becomes widespread.
• 🚫 Major international organizations, including the Norwegian Refugee Council, have refused to participate in new aid delivery systems involving subcontractors, citing the need for impartiality and adherence to humanitarian principles.
• 💔 The Israeli government's stated intention to use humanitarian aid as a tool to pressure Hamas is viewed as collective punishment.

Occupied Territory Status and Aid Delivery

• 📜 Despite Israel's claim of disengagement in 2005, the International Court of Justice, UN, and the UK government maintain that Gaza remains occupied territory.
• 🤝 The Israeli position suggests that controlling the ground in Gaza would improve aid delivery, a view contested by the international community.
• ⚖️ The international consensus, including the ICJ and ICC, is that using starvation as a tool of war is unacceptable.

Pathways to Stability in Gaza

• 🕊️ A return to the ceasefire, which was previously in place and collapsed by Israel, is consistently demanded by the international community as a first step towards stability and aid delivery.
• 🔑 The end of the occupation of Gaza is presented as essential for stabilizing the territory and achieving a political solution.
• 🇵🇸 The concept of 'voluntary migration' of Palestinians is questioned, as the territory is being made uninhabitable, suggesting a strategy to reduce the Palestinian population.
• 📉 The lack of a clear vision for a solution from the Israeli perspective is linked to their focus on widening military occupation and reducing the population.