Euro-Med says Israel uses starvation as weapon in Gaza

Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor made the comment in a Sunday report, adding that the regime’s forces seek to destroy Gaza’s food basket of vegetables, fruits and meat, in addition to destroying its local food production system.

The organization noted that “in addition to destruction of all components of local food production”, Israel is also preventing the entry of food supplies and humanitarian aid in order to “perpetuate famine in the Gaza Strip and use starvation as a weapon of war as part of its ongoing crime of genocide, which continues for the ninth month in a row”.

Euro-Med added that its teams have documented evidence of the occupation army intentionally killing farmers who were either working or attempting to access their lands and farms.

In addition, Euro-Med said it has also documented extensive destruction of farms, greenhouses, water wells and tanks, and agricultural equipment by the regime’s forces.

Euro-Med urged the international community “to ensure the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, including essential food and non-food items, in order to address the territory’s health and environmental disaster in an immediate, safe and effective manner”.

The organization’s report came after the Gaza media office decried the use of starvation as a tool by the United States and Israel to achieve their political goals in Gaza despite the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the besieged territory.

“We condemn the inhumane crime of starvation used by the occupation and the American administration in a gruesome manner to achieve political goals,” it said in a statement last Monday.

According to the statement, thousands of sick and wounded people have no access to food or medicine amid the continued closure of Gaza’s crossings by Israeli forces.

“The situation in the Gaza Strip is becoming increasingly catastrophic and difficult, with the humanitarian crisis significantly worsening, especially for children, the sick, and the wounded who lack food and treatment.”

Many Palestinians are getting food poisoning from eating expired canned food as food shortages worsen while famine and diseases spread, the local government in the besieged enclave said.

According to the government media office, children are most affected by the deteriorating starvation crises, caused by an Israeli siege banning basic food items from entering the Palestinian enclave.

“The occupation [authorities] are imposing a policy of systematic starvation and treatment prevention,” the office added.

“Famine and diseases are increasing among the residents of the Gaza Strip, especially among children.”

The United Nations has warned there are “catastrophic levels of hunger” across the blockaded territory resulting from “human action”.

“In the last nine months, we have witnessed unprecedented failures of humanity in a territory marked by decades of violence,” UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini told the UN agency’s advisory commission.

“Children are dying of malnutrition and dehydration, while food and clean water wait in trucks.”