DaysofPal- The Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip has escalated into what international observers and legal experts describe as a deliberate campaign to starve over two million Palestinians. Since October 7, 2023, Gaza has been subjected to what can only be described as a systematic war of extermination—a conflict that extends far beyond the destruction wrought by missiles and bombs.
The blockade, which has cut off food, medicine, water, and electricity, is not merely a byproduct of war but a calculated weapon aimed at suffocating civilians and forcing their displacement.
Collective Punishment Through Starvation
Volker Türk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, has condemned the blockade as “amounting to collective punishment and can be considered the use of starvation as a weapon of war.” His statement underscores the gravity of Israeli crimes, which have left Gaza teetering on the brink of famine.
The World Food Programme (WFP) announced that it will distribute its last available food parcels within days, leaving millions without access to even the most basic sustenance.
For those who survive the relentless bombardment, hunger looms as an equally deadly threat. The Bakers’ Owners Association in Gaza confirmed the closure of all bakeries operating under the WFP due to the complete depletion of supplies, a consequence of the month-long blockade that began on March 2. This systematic deprivation leaves civilians trapped in a cycle of terror, disease, and death.
A Policy of Forced Displacement
Palestinian human rights activist Fouad Bakr argues that Israeli occupation is using starvation as a tool to dismantle the social fabric of Gaza and weaken the resistance. By imposing a stifling blockade, Israeli occupation seeks to create unbearable living conditions that will push Palestinians toward forced displacement. Bakr told Palestine Online that this policy aims to break the morale of the population by stripping them of life’s most basic necessities—food, water, and shelter.
On March 22, the Israeli occupation’s Cabinet approved a proposal by war Minister Yisrael Katz to establish a “special agency for the (alleged) voluntary migration of Gaza Strip residents” to third countries. Bakr asserts that this initiative is part of a broader strategy to displace Palestinians from their land, further entrenching Israeli control over the territory.
“This pressure on the population serves Israeli goal of creating a new reality where Palestinians are erased from the map,” Bakr explained. “It is not just about weakening the resistance but about permanently altering the demographic and political landscape of the region.”
A War Crime Under International Law
International criminal law expert Dr. Essam Abdeen emphasized that the use of starvation as a weapon constitutes a war crime under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC). Article 8 of the statute explicitly classifies starvation as a criminal act when used intentionally to exterminate or exert political or military pressure on a population.
Abdeen pointed out that Israeli crimes meet all the legal criteria for this classification. “The inclusion of starvation as a war crime reflects its devastating impact on civilian populations,” he said. “It allows the ICC to pursue accountability and hold perpetrators responsible for their crimes.”
He also noted that the crime of starvation is intrinsically linked to forced displacement, another war crime under international law. “Israeli ultimate goal is to forcibly remove Palestinians from Gaza, and starvation is the primary means to achieve this,” Abdeen explained. “These crimes are not isolated incidents but part of a coordinated effort to erase Palestinian identity and presence.”
Complicity and Obstruction
Despite clear evidence of these violations, holding the Israeli occupation accountable remains elusive. Western powers, led by the United States, have consistently obstructed efforts to invoke international legal mechanisms against Israeli occupation. This obstructionism, according to Abdeen, reflects a broader colonial mindset that prioritizes political interests over justice and human rights.
“The complicity of some international organizations and UN agencies has emboldened Israeli occupation to continue these atrocities unchecked,” Abdeen said. “Their inaction has deepened the suffering of Palestinians and allowed these crimes to persist in plain sight.”
Both Bakr and Abdeen stress that the international community bears a moral and legal obligation to intervene. They call on global leaders to recognize the severity of Israeli crimes and take decisive steps to end the blockade, ensure the flow of humanitarian aid, and hold those responsible accountable under international law.
“The starvation policy implemented by Israeli occupation is a war crime that demands immediate action,” Bakr concluded. “The silence of the world is deafening, but history will judge us harshly if we fail to act now.”
As Gaza descends further into despair, the resilience of its people stands as a testament to their determination to survive despite unimaginable odds. Yet, survival alone cannot sustain hope indefinitely. Without urgent intervention, the specter of mass starvation threatens to extinguish not just lives but the very spirit of a nation struggling to endure.
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