RECENT military actions by Israel in Gaza have sparked serious accusations from humanitarian organizations and global leaders, claiming that Israel is deliberately using starvation as a weapon of war.
This allegation not only undermines fundamental principles of human dignity but also constitutes a violation of multiple international laws designed to protect civilians during armed conflict.
The use of starvation tactics is not a new phenomenon in the Israel-Palestine conflict.
In 2006, following Hamas’s electoral victory in Gaza, Israel imposed a land, air and sea blockade.
Dov Weisglass, an adviser to the then Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, (in-)famously stated that “the idea is to put the Palestinians on a diet, but not to make them die of hunger.
” Scholars and rights organizations have cited this chilling remark as evidence of a policy aimed at controlled deprivation.
Furthermore, during the 2014 Gaza War, the Israeli military initiated Operation Protective Edge, which resulted in the deaths of over 2,000 Palestinians and widespread destruction.
Although complete starvation was not reported, food insecurity increased drastically due to damage to infrastructure and restrictions on humanitarian aid.
However, what we are witnessing now in 2023–2025 is unprecedented in terms of scale and severity.
As of May 2025, over 35,000 Palestinians have died, and much of Gaza’s civilian infrastructure has been destroyed.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that 1.
1 million people in Gaza are facing catastrophic levels of hunger.
UNICEF has stated, “Children are dying of starvation before our eyes.
” The World Food Programme has confirmed that famine is “inevitable” if food supplies are not restored immediately.
Israel has severely restricted aid trucks, bombed bakeries and water systems, and even targeted convoys of humanitarian workers.
These actions represent a direct assault on the ability of civilians to access food.
The resulting shortages are not accidental but are part of a deliberate siege strategy.
An increasing number of countries, institutions and leaders have directly accused Israel of war crimes.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated, “The use of starvation as a method of warfare is a war crime.
It is happening in Gaza.
” International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Karim Khan emphasized that “those who intentionally deprive civilians of food, medicine and shelter during armed conflict may be held criminally responsible.
” South Africa in its genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), highlighted starvation as a central element of the crime.
Organizations such as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Save the Children and Human Rights Watch have all asserted that the current blockade and destruction of food systems constitute collective punishment and violate international humanitarian law.
Even some traditional Western allies of Israel, including France, Ireland and Spain, have begun to break their usual silence.
French President Emmanuel Macron stated, “Too many civilians are being killed.
There must be a ceasefire and unrestricted humanitarian access.
” Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar described the starvation in Gaza as “a calculated policy that cannot go unpunished.”
The use of starvation as a method of warfare violates several international legal instruments.
Article 54 of Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions (1977) states, “It is prohibited to attack, destroy, remove, or render useless objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population, such as foodstuffs, agricultural areas, and drinking water installations.
” Additionally, the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (1998), Article 8(2)(b)(xxv), defines it as a war crime: “Intentionally using starvation of civilians as a method of warfare by depriving them of objects indispensable to their survival.
” The Fourth Geneva Convention (1949) offers protection to civilians in war zones, and Article 33 forbids collective punishment.
As a party to the Geneva Conventions, Israel is bound by these provisions.
By deliberately restricting aid, destroying water and food supplies, and blocking humanitarian relief, Israel has violated these laws.
Countries can impose targeted sanctions on Israeli military officials and companies involved in the blockade.
South Africa, Turkey, and Malaysia have already suspended trade in protest.
Countries like Spain and Belgium allow for war crimes trials of foreign nationals, which means Israeli leaders could face arrest if they travel to these jurisdictions.
The international community, particularly nations from the Global South and Muslim countries, must take coordinated action.
They should use global forums such as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), BRICS, and the Non-Aligned Movement to isolate Israel diplomatically.
Economically, they must suspend trade, especially in arms and surveillance technologies.
Additionally, they should support South Africa’s genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and provide evidence to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
There should also be a dedicated effort to establish land corridors through Egypt and maritime routes via the United Nations to deliver aid, regardless of Israeli obstruction.
Recently, a number of organizations have mobilized to assist in Gaza and have decided to march towards the region to help eliminate the siege, which needs to be supported by the governments.
Additionally, strong Muslim countries should leverage oil resources by restricting exports from GCC states like Saudi Arabia and the UAE or adjusting oil prices in protest.
The Muslim world must invest in the reconstruction and support of Gaza and, most importantly, to form a humanitarian coalition to ensure the delivery of food and medical supplies.
So far, the response has been fragmented.
While Qatar, Iran, and Turkey have strongly condemned Israeli actions, wealthier Arab states have been criticized for their inaction.
The time for symbolic condemnation is over; strategic action is now needed.
Starvation is not merely an unfortunate side effect of war; it is being used by Israel as a calculated weapon, in violation of international laws, and is resulting in catastrophic human consequences.
The world’s silence or hesitancy is not neutrality; it is complicity.
Unless decisive legal, economic, and diplomatic actions are taken, a dangerous precedent will be set that suggests starving civilians into submission is an acceptable form of warfare.
The international community, especially the Muslim world, must rise not just with words but with united action to hold Israel accountable, uphold international law, and prevent further humanitarian catastrophes.
—The writer is a International Law expert with a rich experience in negotiation, mediation and Alternate Dispute Resolution. (shozab2727@gmail.com)
