Human Rights Watch Accuses Israel of Using Starvation as a War Tactic

Human Rights Watch (HRW) investigators analyzed satellite imagery and gathered survivor testimonies to document the systematic destruction of Gaza’s food supply. Since the conflict escalated in October, orchards, greenhouses, and farmland in the north have been leveled, leaving behind only dirt and sand. The report notes that the last operational wheat mill in the enclave was destroyed on November 15, effectively ending local flour production for the foreseeable future.

HRW director Omar Shakir stated that high-ranking Israeli officials have explicitly endorsed policies that deprive the civilian population of water and food. The organization pointed to comments from Defense Minister Yoav Gallant regarding a "complete siege" of the enclave and remarks by Col. Yogev Bar-Shesht, who described the elimination of agricultural capacity as a way to ensure returning residents find only "scorched earth."

Before the current hostilities, roughly 500 aid trucks entered the territory daily. That number has plummeted, with only about 100 trucks allowed through the Rafah crossing since October 7. The World Food Program warns that nine out of ten households in northern Gaza have gone without food for at least a full day and night, leaving the population at extreme risk of famine. HRW has called on nations providing military support to Israel, including the United States and the United Kingdom, to condemn these practices as war crimes under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.