Doctors of the World Accuses Israel of Using Starvation as a Weapon of War in Gaza

Israel has blocked humanitarian aid from entering Gaza since March 2, just days before resuming its military operations in the war that has raged since October 7, 2023.

The United Nations and aid agencies have long warned of a spiraling humanitarian disaster affecting Gaza’s 2.4 million residents, amid dwindling supplies of fuel, medicine, food, and clean water. Currently, Israeli-controlled crossings are the only viable routes for aid, especially after Israel took control of the Rafah crossing at the Gaza-Egypt border in spring 2024.

After nearly 19 months of war, Doctors of the World said acute malnutrition in Gaza has reached levels comparable to protracted humanitarian crises lasting decades. Data from six of the organization’s medical centers in Gaza emphasized that the hunger crisis is human-made.

One in Four Children at Risk as Food Systems Collapse

Doctors of the World: Gaza Child Malnutrition Soars as Aid Blocked and Moral Collapse Deepens

The NGO highlighted that rates of acute malnutrition among pregnant women, nursing mothers, and children are directly linked to Israel’s decisions to allow—or block—the entry of aid.

The group noted that the highest levels of acute child malnutrition recorded in 2024 coincided with sharp drops in the number of humanitarian aid trucks allowed into Gaza. At one point, child malnutrition rates peaked at 17%, following severe aid cuts.

Dr. Jean-François Corty, President of Doctors of the World, stated:“We are witnessing not just a humanitarian crisis, but a moral collapse when hunger is used as a weapon of war.”

He added:“The failure of powerful countries to pressure Israel to lift the deadly siege is unacceptable and may amount to complicity under international law.”

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Famine Looms in Gaza: One in Four Children at Risk as Food Systems Collapse

In April, Doctors of the World reported that 1 in 5 pregnant or nursing women, and 1 in 4 children, were either suffering from or at high risk of acute malnutrition.

The group noted that the worsening crisis is being fueled by Gaza’s depleted food reserves, the destruction of farmland, and the collapse of sanitation systems. However, it said it cannot officially declare a famine due to the lack of comprehensive data covering the entire territory.

A recent Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report warned that the risk of famine in Gaza is now critical, with 22% of the population facing imminent humanitarian catastrophe.