Starvation in Gaza: How Israel’s denial contradicts ground realities

Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has not only devastated infrastructure and displaced millions but has also been accompanied by a strategic public relations effort aimed at reshaping the global narrative. In recent interviews, Israeli officials continue to downplay the severity of the humanitarian catastrophe, particularly when it comes to the worsening food crisis.

A striking example of this was witnessed during a contentious interview between Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer and BBC presenter Nick Robinson. Mencer, speaking directly on behalf of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, attempted to reframe Israel’s actions in Gaza as morally justifiable responses to Hamas’s alleged tactics. He reiterated Tel Aviv’s oft-repeated claim that the Palestinian resistance movement uses civilians as human shields, calling Hamas a “genocidal death cult.”

However, what drew more scrutiny was his insistence that there is “no hunger in Gaza.” This assertion flies in the face of consistent reports from international humanitarian organizations, eyewitnesses, and media coverage showing widespread food insecurity and visible signs of malnutrition, particularly among children.

While a handful of markets remain open in Gaza, this does not reflect the broader situation. The overwhelming majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents are either unable to afford the few food items available or cannot access them due to destroyed roads and ongoing conflict. The cost of a 25kg bag of flour, when it can be found, can reach hundreds of dollars. Basic vegetables like tomatoes or potatoes are priced at $10–15 per kilogram, making them unaffordable for most. Meat and dairy are virtually nonexistent. Bakeries have ceased operations due to a lack of fuel and flour, and community kitchens that once served up to a million meals per day are rapidly shutting down. Most international aid warehouses, such as those operated by the World Food Programme and UNRWA, are now empty.

Despite these grim realities, aid trucks remain stuck at Israeli-controlled border crossings. Thousands of tonnes of food, medicine, fuel, and shelter supplies await approval to enter Gaza, but Israel’s restrictions have turned these lifelines into mere symbols of inaccessibility. Although some aid was allowed in during a brief ceasefire in January, it was nowhere near sufficient to meet the enormous needs of a population already devastated by prolonged bombardment and blockade.

Israel insists that it is not using starvation as a weapon, even claiming that it has sent an amount of aid equivalent to “filling Wembley Stadium 80 times.” However, experts and humanitarian organizations argue that much of this aid has either been delayed by excessive bureaucracy or was unable to be distributed due to the destruction of infrastructure and the constant threat of attacks.

The situation is so dire that the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), a UN-backed panel of food security experts, recently classified 244,000 people in Gaza as living under “catastrophe/famine” conditions, the highest alert level. The IPC has noted a steep and rapid deterioration in the food situation, warning of a critical risk of famine unless urgent and large-scale interventions are allowed.

Israel claims its restrictions are necessary to prevent aid from falling into the hands of Hamas. However, aid organizations strongly dispute this narrative, stating that they have mechanisms in place to prevent diversion and that allegations of widespread theft are unfounded. The more likely outcome of Israel’s policies is not the weakening of Hamas, but the mass starvation of civilians.

Moreover, Israel has proposed a controversial plan to distribute aid from six controlled hubs in southern Gaza, guarded by Israeli forces and operated by private contractors. International agencies have refused to cooperate, calling the plan dangerous, insufficient, and potentially illegal. Aid groups argue that the hubs could lead to further displacement of Palestinian civilians, forcing them into ever smaller and more crowded areas, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.

The catastrophic situation in Gaza has now become a test of the international community’s willingness to act in the face of blatant violations of humanitarian norms. Yet, Western coverage, particularly in American and Indian media circles, has often echoed Tel Aviv’s positions, portraying Israeli military actions as defensive while minimizing the scale of Palestinian suffering.

It is increasingly clear that the root of the crisis lies not in the failure to deliver aid, but in the deliberate obstruction of that aid. The world must recognize that food insecurity and humanitarian suffering are not accidental consequences of war but are being perpetuated by policies designed to collectively punish an entire population.