HRW denounces the “deadly starvation” imposed by Israel against thousands of children in Gaza

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Doctors and parents warn of imminent famine in the Palestinian enclave

April 9 () –

The NGO Human Rights Watch (HRW) denounced this Tuesday the “deadly starvation” imposed by the Israeli authorities against thousands of children in the Gaza Strip, who are exposed to an “imminent famine” that endangers their lives.

The organization has warned that Gazan children have been dying from complications related to starvation since the Israeli Government decided to use hunger as a “weapon and war crime” against the civilian population. Thus, doctors and families in the Gaza Strip have pointed to children and pregnant women as the most affected by this lack of food.

Hospitals in the enclave are increasing resources to treat them as they suffer from acute nutrition and dehydration, according to a statement from HRW in which it states that governments should “impose targeted sanctions and suspend shipments of weapons to Israel to ensure that it meets its obligations in the framework of International Law”.

“The Israeli government uses starvation as a weapon of war, which has been proven to be deadly for children in Gaza,” said Omar Shakir, director of the NGO for Israel and Palestine. “Israel needs to end this war crime, stop this suffering and allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza and reach everyone in the area,” he said.

The United Nations has warned that northern Gaza, home to 70 percent of the enclave's population, could suffer a catastrophic famine at “any time” by next May.

The Gaza Health Ministry said on April 1 that 32 people, including 28 children, had so far died from malnutrition and dehydration in hospitals in northern Gaza. A day later, Save the Children confirmed the deaths from starvation of 27 minors.

HRW has urged the international community to impose sanctions, including travel restrictions and asset freezes, against senior officials and individuals responsible for the continued commission of “war crimes involving collective punishment” and for “obstructing the delivery of humanitarian aid to starve the civilian population.”

On April 4, the Israeli government agreed to implement a series of measures to increase the amount of aid entering Gaza as pressure from US authorities increased.

“Governments that are alarmed by the fact that Israel is starving civilians should not look for patches to solve the humanitarian crisis,” Shakir clarified before stating that “Israel's allies, such as Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom and France must exert greater pressure and stop the shipment of weapons.