Israeli Policy: Deliberate Starvation of Gaza

Explicit Threats of Blockade

• 🎯 Senior Israeli officials, including former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, explicitly threatened to cut off all humanitarian aid, including food, water, and medicine, from Gaza following the October 7th attack.
• ⚠️ This action goes beyond merely refusing to provide aid, as an occupying army is required to do under international law; instead, Israel is using its military to block all aid from entering.

Devastating Humanitarian Impact

• 💔 The deliberate blockade has led to a catastrophic famine in Gaza, with no more food left and essential supplies exhausted.
• 🏥 Children are undergoing horrific surgeries without anesthesia due to the lack of available medicine and medical supplies.
• 💧 Fuel shortages are also hampering water production and distribution, exacerbating the crisis.

Weaponization of Starvation

• ⚖️ The World Food Program (WFP) has warned that its kitchens are expected to run out of food, as Israel cut off aid on March 2nd and resumed its offensive.
• 🗣️ Israel's actions are seen as using mass starvation as a weapon of war to pressure Hamas into releasing hostages.
• 🚫 Despite international law obliging Israel to ensure supplies for Gaza's population, Israel claims compliance while aid organizations report the opposite.

Official Statements and Israeli Ethos

• 📢 A member of the Israeli Knesset, Boaz Bismuth, openly stated, "I want to starve Gazans completely. A full siege."
• ✊ Leaked videos of Israeli soldiers committing abuses and the subsequent protest by Knesset members demanding their release highlight an ethos of dehumanization towards Palestinians.
• 💥 Former Defense Secretary Yoav Gallant stated on October 9th, "We are fighting human animals and we are acting accordingly," imposing a complete siege with no electricity, food, water, or fuel.

International Legal Cases and Accusations

• ⚖️ South Africa's case against Israel at the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court relies heavily on statements by Israeli officials detailing their intent to withhold essential supplies from Gaza.
• 🌍 Governments joining these cases cite the explicit declarations by Israeli officials about their intention to keep food and water out of Gaza.