Haaretz Slams Israeli Starvation Policy in Gaza as a ‘Humanitarian Crime’
Israeli newspaper Haaretz condemns Netanyahu’s government for using starvation as a weapon, calling for immediate aid to Gaza and international pressure.
Watan-The Hebrew newspaper Haaretz condemned on Friday the starvation imposed by Israel on Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, stating that it has become an official policy and a source of pride for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.
In an editorial titled “Israel Must Stop Starving Gaza”, the paper wrote:“This policy is based on a false populist narrative that links humanitarian aid for Gaza’s residents with Hamas’ military capabilities.”
The editorial denounced this approach, saying:“The result is an ongoing humanitarian crime.”
It continued:“Under the nightmare regime of the Israeli government and the administration of (former U.S. President Donald) Trump, Israel’s starvation of over two million Palestinians has become completely normalized.”
Haaretz: Gaza Faces Starvation and Collapse Amid Aid Blockade
The paper pointed out that for over six weeks, no shipments of food, medicine, tents, or any other form of aid have entered the Gaza Strip.
“It’s not Hamas members who are paying the price, but hundreds of thousands of children, mothers, the elderly, and the poor,” it wrote.
According to a survey by humanitarian agencies in Gaza, 3,696 children were hospitalized in March alone due to acute malnutrition.
The UN World Food Programme has shut down all the bakeries it once operated throughout Gaza, and most of the population now relies on a single daily meal provided by UN-run kitchens, the paper reported.
It added:“Most residents of Gaza have no access to fresh food, including meat, dairy products, eggs, vegetables, and fruits.”
The hunger crisis is made worse by the lack of clean water, widespread tent housing, collapsed sewage and waste collection systems, a destroyed healthcare network, and more—“a buildup of deadly risk factors,” the paper noted.
Haaretz: Gaza Starvation Causing Irreversible Harm, Urges Immediate Aid
On the medical front, it stated:“According to doctors in Gaza, most residents suffer from a severe lack of calories, proteins, and vitamins. Israeli nutritionists warn the situation is causing irreversible damage to children’s brain development and reducing the production and quality of breast milk.”
International mortality experts also warned of potential disease outbreaks, while the UN earlier this week described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as the worst since the beginning of the war.
Haaretz concluded:“Suffering and death caused by Israel’s starvation policy in Gaza will not achieve any war goals. The death of children from hunger and disease will not lead to the release of hostages or the fall of Hamas.”
The editorial ended with a direct message to Netanyahu’s government:
“Israel must immediately resume the flow of aid to Gaza, and all countries around the world must pressure Israel by every possible means to force it to do so.”
