DayofPal– The humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza is not a byproduct of war, but the result of a deliberate and systematic campaign to engineer famine, according to new testimonies compiled by QNN.
Civilians, aid workers, and officials say that Israel is weaponizing starvation in a calculated strategy to break Gaza’s population through hunger. From the blockade of aid to the destruction of agriculture and obstruction of cash flow, every element aligns with what experts define as “engineered famine.”
Experts say Gaza fits the textbook definition of “engineered famine.”
Economist Amartya Sen’s Entitlement Theory posits that famine arises not from a lack of food, but from people losing the legal and economic ability to access it.
Alex de Waal’s concept of starvation crimes identifies famine as a political tool used to punish or control populations.
Political scientists Hendrix and Haggard also note how authoritarian regimes employ hunger as a means of dominance.
Israel is not starving Gaza by accident; it is by design. The siege, destruction of farmland, and obstruction of aid point to a calculated policy to deprive more than two million people of food.”
QNN’s investigation identifies a clear pattern resembling what academic experts term “starvation crimes”, policies that create hunger through siege tactics, economic strangulation, and destruction of food systems.
Blocking Access to Food and Aid
Aid trucks waiting at Gaza’s border are selectively let in. According to UN figures, only 14% of the necessary aid enters Gaza. Drivers, speaking to QNN on condition of anonymity, say they are forced to stop at exposed intersections under Israeli military watch. Deliveries to secure UN warehouses are not permitted.
“We are told to stop at intersections. If we don’t unload there, the truck gets bombed,” one driver said.
Another added: “If a truck passes beyond the designated zone with aid still inside, it will be bombed.”
These intersections, known as “red zones”, are sites where snipers have allegedly opened fire on civilians. Aid intended for humanitarian distribution is often intercepted, either looted by armed gangs or sold at exorbitant prices on the black market.
Engineering Chaos and Black Markets
According to witnesses, chaos is deliberately fostered. Some aid trucks are reportedly tied to Israeli-affiliated companies. In these unregulated zones, Israel-backed armed gangs intercept aid shipments.
A kilo of flour now costs up to 100 shekels (approximately $30), a dramatic increase from the pre-war price of $2.
A Gaza business owner told QNN that an Israeli trader, claiming to speak on behalf of the army, offered to deliver 10 trucks of goods, two of which contained U.S. humanitarian aid:
“The two ‘aid’ trucks would be used as bait for crowds. The other eight had to be guarded by armed men, sold at high prices, and paid for only after sale. The occupation would take the money when the goods are sold, then I would get my share.”
The businessman refused the offer. Others agreed, creating a black market that is rapidly draining Gaza’s remaining liquidity.
“Aid that enters is stolen under the cover of the Israeli army,” said Dr. Zaher Al-Wahidi of Gaza’s Health Ministry. “95% of citizens cannot afford goods; only a tiny few can.”
Destruction of Agriculture
Gaza’s self-sufficiency has been obliterated. The Ministry of Agriculture reports that 90% of farmland (167,000 dunams) was destroyed; 459,000 tons of produce were wiped out, valued at $325 million; 36 million chickens were killed; 2,500 poultry farms were destroyed; and one-third of greenhouses and nearly half of irrigation wells were demolished.
Much of the farmland has been absorbed into Israeli-declared buffer zones, eliminating local food production and increasing dependence on aid.
Trapping Civilians and Cutting Cash Flow
With crossings shut and checkpoints heavily militarized, movement within Gaza is nearly impossible. Civilians are trapped without access to food or resources.
Since October 2023, no new currency has been allowed into Gaza. Banks are non-functional, forcing residents to use informal traders, often at exploitative rates. People reportedly pay up to 50% of the value of their own money to access cash.
Meanwhile, traders tied to Israel are allowed to import non-essential luxury goods, sold at massive markups. This drains the market of liquidity, even as food remains out of reach for most.
Weaponizing Bureaucracy
Israel strictly controls what is permitted into Gaza. Permitted items are limited to staples such as sugar, flour, and processed cheese, while essential proteins and fresh produce are barred.
“Instead of infant formula, the occupation sends chips and biscuits,” said Dr. Munir Al-Bursh, head of Gaza’s Health Ministry. “They are engineering famine while fooling the world.”
This form of rationed survival creates widespread malnutrition without breaching the legal definition of famine outright.
Criminalizing Survival
Traditional sources of food are also being suppressed. Fishing has been entirely banned, with Israeli naval forces reportedly firing on boats, arresting crews, and confiscating catches.
Gardening and farming are similarly restricted. The last remaining independent food sources have been extinguished.
Aid centers operated in coordination with U.S. and Israeli forces have also turned into deadly traps. Israel has reportedly killed over 1,800 people at these sites, according to local health officials.
Controlling the Narrative
Despite mounting evidence and images of starving children, Israel has dismissed claims of famine. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently called such reports “lies” and blamed the UN for failing to distribute aid properly.
“Tons of tons of aid is rotting on the Gazan side of the border because the UN was, and still is, unwilling to deliver all of it,” Netanyahu said.
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