Human Rights Watch stated that children in Gaza are dying due to complications related to starvation since the Israeli government began using starvation as a weapon of war, which constitutes a war crime.
Omar Shakir, Director for Israel and Palestine at Human Rights Watch, said: “It has been proven that the Israeli government’s use of starvation as a weapon of war is killing children in Gaza. Israel must end this war crime, stop this suffering, and allow humanitarian aid to reach all areas of Gaza without obstacles.”
The organization emphasized that children, as well as pregnant and nursing mothers, are suffering from acute malnutrition and dehydration, and hospitals are not equipped to treat them. It called on concerned governments to impose targeted sanctions and suspend arms transfers to pressure the Israeli government to ensure the people of Gaza receive humanitarian aid and essential services, in accordance with Israel’s obligations under international law and the recent order issued by the International Court of Justice in the genocide case filed by South Africa.
It pointed out that “before the current hostilities, about 1.2 million of Gaza’s then-population of 2.2 million faced severe food insecurity, with more than 80% depending on humanitarian aid. Israel exercises comprehensive control over Gaza, including the movement of people and goods, territorial waters, airspace, and the infrastructure the sector relies on, and the population registry. This makes Gaza’s residents, who have been subjected by Israel to an illegal closure for more than 16 years, almost entirely dependent on Israel for fuel, electricity, medicine, food, and other essential goods.
It also mentioned that “the continuation of Israeli bombing and ground operations, the lack of security guarantees from Israel, the extensive damage to infrastructure, and the disruption of communications, all make it difficult to distribute the limited aid that reaches Gaza.”
The humanitarian situation in Gaza since the onset of the war on October 7 has significantly deteriorated, leading to widespread international concern. According to the World Health Organization, the escalating crisis has resulted in a large number of civilian deaths and injuries. The health system in Gaza, already under-resourced, has been virtually depleted, with hospitals operating far beyond capacity. This has severely compromised the provision of essential health services, ranging from maternal and newborn care to treatment for chronic conditions.
