GAZA CITY: Human Rights Watch has released a damning report accusing the Israeli government of committing war crimes in the occupied Gaza Strip. The report alleges that Israel is using starvation as a method of warfare, blocking the delivery of essential resources such as water, food, and fuel, and impeding humanitarian assistance.
Since the October 7 attack by Hamas-led fighters on Israel, high-ranking Israeli officials, including Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, and Energy Minister Israel Katz, have openly expressed their intent to deprive Gaza civilians of basic necessities.
Human Rights Watch contends that Israeli forces are actively implementing this policy, constituting a violation of international humanitarian law. The report cites interviews with 11 displaced Palestinians conducted between November 24 and December 4, revealing the profound hardships faced by Gaza residents in securing basic necessities. One interviewee lamented, “We had no food, no electricity, no internet, nothing at all.”
In response, the Israeli government did not directly address the allegations when contacted by Euronews. However, the Israeli governmental aid organization, Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories, reported that 201 humanitarian aid trucks were inspected and transferred toward the Gaza Strip on December 17th.
Israel Accused of War Crime in Gaza
International humanitarian law, particularly the International Criminal Court, explicitly prohibits the starvation of civilians as a method of warfare, considering it a war crime. Human Rights Watch also condemns Israel’s ongoing blockade of Gaza, lasting for over 16 years, as collective punishment, also deemed a war crime.
The report highlights the urgent need for an immediate cessation of the use of starvation as a weapon of war by the Israeli government. Human Rights Watch calls for Israel to comply with international law, lift the blockade on Gaza, and ensure the delivery of essential resources, including water, electricity, medical aid, and food.
The international community is urged to respond urgently, with Human Rights Watch recommending concerned governments, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Germany, suspend military assistance and arms sales to Israel as long as alleged abuses continue with impunity. “The deepening humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza calls for an urgent and effective response from the international community,” stated Omar Shakir, Director for Israel and Palestine at Human Rights Watch.
