Israel-Hamas war: Starvation used as a weapon of war in Gaza Strip, says HRW

The Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Monday (Dec 18) accused Israel of intentionally starving civilians in the Gaza Strip as a part of its ongoing offensive against Hamas in the besieged Palestinian territory. In a report, the HRW called starvation a war crime, and said, "Israeli forces are deliberately blocking the delivery of water, food, and fuel, while willfully impeding humanitarian assistance, apparently razing agricultural areas, and depriving the civilian population of objects indispensable to their survival."

Omar Shakir, HRW's Israel and Palestine director, said that for more than two months, Israel had been depriving Gaza's population of food and water. "World leaders should be speaking out against this abhorrent war crime, which has devastating effects on Gaza’s population," Shakir added.

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'A constant search for things needed to survive'

Speaking to the HRW, 11 displaced Palestinians in Gaza described their profound hardships in securing necessities. "We had no food, no electricity, no internet, nothing at all. We don’t know how we survived,” one man who left northern Gaza told the New York-based rights group.

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Another man from southern Gaza, who is a father of two kids, said, "You are on a constant search for things needed to survive." Gazans living in the southern part of the besieged Palestinian territory described the scarcity of potable water, the lack of food leading to empty shops and lengthy lines, and exorbitant prices.

"In addition, Israel’s continuing blockade of Gaza, as well as its more than 16-year closure, amounts to collective punishment of the civilian population, a war crime. As the occupying power in Gaza under the Fourth Geneva Convention, Israel has the duty to ensure that the civilian population gets food and medical supplies," the HRW further said in its report.

Israel hits back at HRW, calls it 'antisemitic organisation'

The Israeli government on Monday slammed the HRW's report, calling the rights group an "antisemitic and anti-Israeli organisation."

"Human Rights Watch ... did not condemn the attack on Israeli citizens and the massacre of October 7 and has no moral basis to talk about what's going on in Gaza if they turn a blind eye to the suffering and the human rights of Israelis," foreign ministry spokesman Lior Haiat told the news agency AFP.

Last Friday, Israel had approved "temporary" delivery of much-needed aid to Gaza via its Kerem Shalom crossing. According to an Egyptian Red Crescent official, a humanitarian aid convoy entered Gaza through the crossing on Sunday.

On Monday, 79 trucks would be reaching the war-torn region, the official added.

(With inputs from agencies)