The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has issued a grave warning about the deepening famine in the Gaza Strip, condemning Israel’s deliberate use of starvation as a weapon of war against the Palestinian people.

Speaking at a press conference at WHO headquarters in Geneva on Friday, Tedros described the catastrophe as “entirely preventable” and stressed that Israel holds the power to end it immediately.

“At least 370 Palestinians have already died from hunger since the beginning of the Israeli aggression on October 7, 2023,” he noted, adding that more than 300 of these deaths occurred in just the past two months.

Tedros reminded the international community that the United Nations formally declared a state of famine in parts of Gaza on August 22, despite Israel’s continued denial of reality on the ground. “People in Gaza are dying from hunger while life-saving food remains blocked in nearby trucks, unable to reach those in need,” he said, highlighting Israel’s obstruction of aid as a central driver of the crisis.

The WHO chief underscored that the intentional starvation of civilians constitutes a war crime under international law. He further warned that if Israel’s actions are allowed to go unchecked, they risk setting a dangerous precedent that could normalize starvation as a weapon in future conflicts.

Human rights groups and Palestinian organizations have long accused Israel of pursuing a genocidal policy in Gaza by combining relentless bombing with siege tactics designed to force mass civilian suffering. Tedros’ warning adds renewed urgency to international calls for accountability, justice, and an immediate end to the blockade that has reduced Gaza’s children, women, and elderly to slow death by hunger. (ILKHA)