Experts Warn of Weaponized Starvation in Gaza and Sudan

Weaponized Starvation as a Tool of War

• 🎯 Starvation is being deliberately used as a weapon of war in conflicts, including by Israel in Gaza and by both sides in Sudan's civil war.
• ⚖️ International norms, including a UN Security Council resolution, state that starvation of civilians may be a war crime and that humanitarian aid must be provided regardless of conflict status.
• 💡 The speaker argues that aid should not be conditional on a ceasefire, as Israel has the choice to alleviate starvation in Gaza within days if it chooses.

The Man-Made Famine in Sudan

• 🌍 Sudan's famine is described as the biggest and most intractable in the world, with multiple contributing factors including ecological crisis, economic dysfunction, past wars, and the deliberate use of starvation by warring factions.
• 🇺🇸 A plan involving the US, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the Emirates aims to push for a deal between Sudanese belligerents, but significant challenges remain in turning this into a peace process and delivering aid.
• 📉 Humanitarian aid budgets have been drastically cut, with the UN appeal only 25% funded, making the task of providing assistance extremely difficult, even in the best-case scenario.

Impact on Children and Survivors

• 🧠 Children who survive starvation suffer lifelong physical and cognitive harm, creating an obligation for perpetrators and the international community to provide support.
• 💔 The social experience of starvation, including humiliation and the tearing apart of social ties, is as profound as the physical damage, requiring social repair.
• 🏥 Dr. Tanya Haj-Hassan, a pediatric doctor returning from Sudan, witnessed severe acute malnutrition and preventable illnesses, highlighting that even in agricultural centers, people suffer from lack of access to resources.

The Need for Consistent Application of Values

• 💡 The speaker emphasizes that famines are man-made, a consequence of underlying structures and a lack of political systems driven by consistently applied values and principles.
• 🚫 Humanitarianism cannot be functional without political systems that apply principles consistently, not just when politically or economically convenient.
• 📈 Over 8 million people in Sudan face emergency or famine-level food insecurity, underscoring the urgent need for action.