Israel rejects claims of mass starvation in Gaza
The Gaza Strip is currently facing a severe humanitarian crisis, with increasing cases of malnutrition and starvation. This dire situation is the result of a complex interplay of actions by Israel, Hamas, the United Nations, and aid organizations.
Israel's Role
Israel enforces a blockade that restricts the flow of essential supplies, including food, fuel, cooking gas, and critical medical equipment, into Gaza. This blockade has been particularly harsh since March 2025, with fuel and cooking gas largely banned, crippling electricity production needed for water, sanitation, and medical devices.
Israel's aid distribution scheme, operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), is criticized for being inefficient and for allegedly benefiting Hamas financially by diverting aid. Many aid trucks remain stuck at border crossings without Israeli permits, preventing large-scale humanitarian delivery. Israel has also destroyed or denied access to important agricultural infrastructure, further reducing local food production.
Israel defends these measures as necessary to prevent Hamas from misusing aid resources and funding its fighters. However, international experts and organizations argue that these restrictions violate international humanitarian law and constitute a form of collective punishment or possible genocide.
Hamas' Role
Hamas, the governing power in Gaza, is accused of diverting aid supplies and siphoning resources from civilians to finance military activities. The Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health reports high levels of starvation and malnutrition, particularly among children, indicating a dire humanitarian crisis within the population it governs.
Hamas' control complicates aid delivery, as international organizations must navigate political and security concerns to provide assistance.
The United Nations and Aid Organizations
The UN and humanitarian groups face severe restrictions imposed by Israel on the volume and type of aid allowed into Gaza. Many aid attempts have been denied, postponed, or obstructed. Only a small fraction of aid reaches civilians, and distribution is often hindered by the militarized framework.
UN agencies and local groups have highlighted the catastrophic rise in malnutrition and hunger-related deaths, including among vulnerable groups like children, pregnant women, and people with disabilities. Despite these challenges, some local and international groups have managed limited deliveries.
Current Issues
Severe food scarcity and malnutrition are worsening, with many deaths attributed to hunger since the conflict escalated in October 2023. Israel’s blockade and strict controls on aid and materials are the principal drivers of the ongoing crisis, limiting access to food, fuel, and medical supplies.
Hamas' role in governance and alleged diversion of aid complicates the distribution network. UN and aid organizations face operational constraints and security challenges, limiting their ability to respond adequately. There is growing international alarm that Israel’s policies amount to starvation as a weapon of war against the Palestinian population in Gaza.
The situation remains dire and rapidly deteriorating. People in the Gaza Strip are "trapped in a cycle of hope and heartbreak, waiting for assistance and ceasefires." The UN refuses to work with GHF due to neutrality concerns. Stalled talks between Israeli and Hamas negotiators continue, with each side blaming the other for refusing to budge on their key demands.
The UN, according to GHF, has a "capacity and operational problem" and is in need of "more collaboration" to deliver life-saving aid. An Israeli government spokesman has stated that there is no famine caused by Israel, but a man-made shortage engineered by Hamas. The head of the World Health Organization has described the situation in Gaza as "mass starvation."
Humanitarian organizations have stated that warehouses with tonnes of supplies are sitting untouched in the Gaza Strip, while Hamas has been accused of preventing supplies from being distributed and looting aid for themselves or to sell at inflated prices. The head of the Committee to Protect Journalists has added his voice to the appeal, accusing Israel of "starving Gazan journalists into silence."
This synthesis reflects the most recent and credible reports emphasizing that while the immediate cause of famine risk is the blockade and restrictions imposed by Israel, the broader conflict environment, including Hamas control and the challenges faced by aid entities, also play significant roles in the unfolding humanitarian crisis.
- The ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, characterized by malnutrition and starvation, is largely due to Israel's enforcement of a blockade that limits the flow of essential supplies.
- Israel's inefficient aid distribution scheme, run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), has been criticized for potentially benefiting Hamas financially.
- International experts and organizations argue that Israel's restrictions on aid violate international humanitarian law and could constitute a form of collective punishment or possible genocide.
- Hamas, the governing power in Gaza, is accused of diverting aid supplies and siphoning resources for military activities.
- The United Nations and humanitarian groups face severe restrictions imposed by Israel in delivering aid to Gaza, leading to a catastrophic rise in malnutrition and hunger-related deaths.
- There is growing international alarm that Israel's policies amount to starvation as a weapon of war against the Palestinian population in Gaza, while the head of the World Health Organization has described the situation as "mass starvation."
- Humanitarian organizations have reported warehouses full of supplies sitting untouched in Gaza, while Hamas has been accused of preventing supplies from being distributed and looting aid for their own gain or for sales at inflated prices.
