In a report released on Monday, Human Rights Watch alleges that Israel is utilizing starvation as a method of warfare against Palestinian civilians in Gaza, branding it a war crime. The group contends that the Israeli government is deliberately obstructing the delivery of essential resources such as water, food, and fuel, while also hindering humanitarian assistance. Additionally, the report suggests intentional destruction of agricultural areas and depriving the civilian population of vital objects necessary for survival.
Responding to these accusations, Israel accused Human Rights Watch of being an “anti-Semitic and anti-Israeli organization,” a term frequently employed by Israel to criticize any entity or individual that exposes alleged crimes. Lior Haiat, foreign ministry spokesman, asserted, “Human Rights Watch … did not condemn the attack on Israeli citizens and the massacre of October 7 and has no moral basis to talk about what’s going on in Gaza if they turn a blind eye to the suffering and the human rights of Israelis,” in an interview with AFP.
The Israeli aggression on Gaza is reported to have resulted in the death of approximately 20,000 civilians, with at least another 7,000 individuals missing under the rubble.
