Amnesty International has accused the Israeli occupation of deliberately weaponizing starvation against Palestinians in Gaza, warning that children are being left to die as famine spreads under the ongoing blockade and attacks.

In a statement released Monday, Amnesty said newly gathered testimonies provide “damning evidence” of a systematic Israeli policy designed to destroy Palestinian health, well-being, and society. The rights group called for an immediate and unconditional lifting of the blockade and a permanent ceasefire, stressing that Israel’s starvation campaign amounts to collective punishment and a war crime.

The World Food Program (WFP) has also raised the alarm, reporting on Sunday that nearly half a million people in Gaza are now on the brink of famine. Despite thousands of aid trucks waiting at Gaza’s sealed border crossings, Israeli authorities have barred entry since March 2, allowing only minimal shipments that fall drastically short of the enclave’s survival needs.

Amnesty further condemned what Palestinians describe as “death trap” aid distribution centers – facilities set up outside the oversight of the UN and major humanitarian organizations, but supported by Israel and the United States. These sites, rejected by much of the international community, are seen by Palestinians as dangerous tools of manipulation rather than genuine relief.

Since October 7, 2023, Israel’s war on Gaza – backed militarily and politically by Washington – has unfolded as what Palestinian leaders and international observers increasingly describe as genocide. The campaign has involved mass killings, deliberate starvation, systematic destruction, and forced displacement.

According to Gaza’s health authorities, more than 61,000 Palestinians have been killed and over 155,000 wounded, the vast majority women and children. Over 9,000 remain missing under rubble or unaccounted for. The famine itself has already claimed at least 258 lives, including 110 children – a toll that aid workers warn will rise sharply unless the blockade is broken.

Amnesty’s findings reinforce the growing consensus among humanitarian groups: Israel’s starvation policy is not an unintended byproduct of war, but a calculated strategy to break Gaza’s population. As international pressure builds, Palestinians continue to demand urgent global action to stop the blockade, secure unrestricted aid access, and bring an end to what they call a U.S.-backed genocide. (ILKHA)