The Gaza Famine Crisis: Starvation as a Weapon of War and the Collapse of the Food System

A Worsening Humanitarian Catastrophe Amid an Ongoing Siege

For over two months, Gaza has been enduring an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, where hunger has escalated from a dire situation to a full-scale catastrophe threatening the lives of millions. With Israeli forces imposing an almost complete closure of border crossings and acute shortages of food and water, Gaza’s population faces a life-threatening emergency that endangers their health, nutrition, and very existence.

Hunger in Gaza: A Deep-Rooted Crisis

Although the crisis intensified in October 2023, Gaza has long suffered from entrenched food insecurity and economic hardship. United Nations reports indicated that by the end of 2022, poverty levels had reached 61%, and over 68% of households faced varying degrees of food insecurity even before the recent war. Unemployment hovered near 45%, among the highest globally, with heavy reliance on humanitarian aid for basic survival.

Since 2007, an Israeli-imposed crippling siege has blocked the entry of essential supplies such as fertilizers and animal feed, severely limiting food imports under the pretext of dual-use concerns for military purposes. This blockade progressively devastated local agricultural production, which meets roughly 40% of Gaza’s food needs.

Destruction of Agriculture and Infrastructure: An Ongoing Disaster

The war escalated the crisis further, as airstrikes and fighting destroyed vast farmlands and critical infrastructure. UN data and satellite imagery reveal that about 75% of agricultural land (approximately 11,293 hectares out of 15,053) has been burned or destroyed, while livestock losses exceed 96%, including cattle and poultry.

Olive groves and fruit orchards, a vital pillar of Gaza’s food security and economy, were nearly three-quarters destroyed. Damage extended to water and irrigation systems, with most wells ceasing operation due to fuel shortages and destruction of pumping stations, worsening the scarcity of water needed for agriculture and daily consumption.

Under these conditions, Gaza’s agricultural sector teeters on the brink of collapse, forcing residents to scavenge for any possible food source amid the rubble.

Border Closures and the Blockade on Humanitarian Aid

Despite Israeli promises to open crossings for limited aid, food supplies reaching Gaza remain minuscule and far from meeting urgent needs. Aid distribution centers have been systematically targeted; reports document the destruction of 37 food distribution centers, 26 soup kitchens, and numerous aid-laden trucks.

Repeated and prolonged border closures, extending over two months in the current phase, have caused thousands of aid trucks to pile up outside Gaza, blocked from entering and exacerbating the humanitarian disaster.

Bakery Shutdowns and Soaring Food Prices

Severe shortages of gas and flour have forced bakeries, relied upon by large segments of the population, to cease operations, according to a March 2025 report by the World Food Program. The resulting bread scarcity strikes at a fundamental food source.

Food prices have skyrocketed, with flour prices soaring by 500% to 700% compared to pre-war levels. Securing even a single loaf of bread has become a daily struggle for tens of thousands of families.

A Health and Nutrition Catastrophe: Starvation Kills Children

Aid workers describe Gaza as “void of any safe food zones,” with the region entering an advanced famine phase (IPC Phase 4 or 5). Health institutions report a sharp rise in severe malnutrition cases, especially among children, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and the elderly.

In April 2025, Gaza’s government media office announced that over 3,500 children under five face imminent death from starvation, with about 290,000 more children on the brink. Hospitals have admitted over 70,000 severely malnourished children.

Health agencies document 57 starvation-related deaths, including 53 children, signaling a rapidly expanding crisis beyond control.

Starvation as a Weapon of War: A Grave Violation of International Law

Under the Geneva Conventions and International Humanitarian Law, using starvation as a method of warfare constitutes a war crime and a blatant human rights violation. These agreements prohibit depriving civilians of food, classifying such acts as crimes against humanity.

The International Criminal Court has included the deliberate starvation of civilians among the charges against senior Israeli officials, including the prime minister and defense minister, for their role in these offenses.

The United Nations established an international inquiry to monitor violations in Gaza, regularly highlighting starvation cases in its reports.

Yet, Israel’s political backing, especially the U.S. veto power in the Security Council, blocks real sanctions or pressure to lift the siege and allow full humanitarian access.

Voices from the Ground: Tragic Testimonies from Aid Centers

Reports by outlets such as The Guardian reveal families walking long distances amid bombardment to reach aid distribution points, only to face chaos and tight security that prevent access to food. Many return empty-handed after enduring exhausting struggles, compounding their suffering.

The New York Times has detailed the complexities families face in feeding their children amid the blockade and shifting aid delivery methods, highlighting the plight of Gaza’s most vulnerable.

French paper Libération has exposed gangs involved in looting aid convoys or obstructing deliveries, worsening residents’ misery and hindering relief efforts.

Local and Regional Implications

Israeli media like Haaretz warn that ongoing occupation and oppressive policies erode Israel’s rule of law and damage its international standing, turning the Palestinian cause from a peripheral issue to a direct threat to Israeli democracy.

Meanwhile, reports from the UK’s Independent note rising forced displacement in the West Bank, with many homes demolished and families forcibly uprooted, fueling frustration and escalating regional tensions.

Conclusion

Gaza today faces an unparalleled humanitarian disaster, with starvation weaponized in blatant violation of international law, threatening millions of civilian lives. The destruction of agriculture, infrastructure collapse, and relentless siege underscore the urgent need for immediate global action to save Gaza’s population from famine and guarantee safe humanitarian access.

The international community’s silence and the UN Security Council’s paralysis, due to the U.S. veto, remain the greatest obstacles to ending this catastrophe. Persistent pressure is vital to open crossings, deliver aid, and uphold Gaza’s basic human rights.