The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court defines the following as a war crime: "Intentionally using starvation of civilians as a method of warfare by depriving them of objects indispensable to their survival, including wilfully impeding relief supplies.”
Before this unfolding genocide, the average of 500 truckloads of goods entering besieged Gaza per working day was not nearly enough, as 63% of Palestinians in Gaza were already food insecure. Since October 7, a trickle of essentials has failed to alleviate rising starvation, while Israeli attacks on Gaza’s agricultural land and food systems will have a devastating long-term impact. Additionally, Damaged roads and fuel shortages make it very difficult to deliver the few essential goods that do enter to desperate people.
This is not the first time Israeli officials have used food as a weapon. In 2006, advisor to Israeli Prime Minister Ehod Olmert, talked about restricting food for people in Gaza, saying “the idea is to put the Palestinians on a diet, but not to make them die of hunger.” Depriving food and attacking food systems are time-worn tactics of genocide.
