DaysofPal – Twenty-three prominent economics professors from top universities in the United States and Europe, including several Nobel laureates, have urged the Israeli government to immediately stop policies that worsen hunger in the Gaza Strip.
The signatories include Nobel laureates Daron Acemoglu, Angus Deaton, Peter Diamond, Esther Duflo, Claudia Goldin, Eric Maskin, Roger Myerson, Edmund Phelps, Christopher Pissarides, and Joseph Stiglitz.
In a letter to the Israeli government, the economists expressed “urgent concern about the widespread hunger in Gaza and the Israeli government’s plan to gather civilians in a so-called ‘humanitarian city.’”
They demanded an immediate halt to any policies that exacerbate hunger and called for the resumption of adequate food and medical aid.
The letter also urged Israel to abandon plans to confine civilians to camps, cancel proposals aimed at controlling the population, and issue an official statement affirming its commitment to human rights and international law.
The economists emphasized that Israel must work in good faith toward a ceasefire, the release of prisoners, and measures to improve the humanitarian situation.
“Israel’s treatment of civilians as a burden to be controlled, rather than as people with a right to live in humane conditions, is unconscionable,” the letter stated. It warned that only by taking these steps could Israel prevent widespread hunger, preserve its democratic character, and secure its long-term economic prospects. The signatories also called on Western leaders to ensure the effective implementation of these measures.
The economists cited data from the United Nations World Food Program, noting that nearly a third of Gaza’s 2.1 million residents had gone multiple days without food in recent weeks, while the prices of basic commodities had increased tenfold compared to three months ago.
They condemned the proposed “humanitarian city,” saying it would confine hundreds of thousands of Gazans to a limited area, depriving them of freedom of movement and basic dignity.
The letter came amid ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza, which, with American support, has included killings, starvation, destruction, and forced displacement since October 7, 2023.
More than 9,000 Palestinians are still missing, 61,776 have been killed, 154,906 have been injured, and hundreds of thousands have been displaced. Famine has also killed many Palestinians, including dozens of children.
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