STARVATION AS A WEAPON OF WAR: VIOLATION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has escalated into one of the most severe emergencies in recent history, with starvation used increasingly as a deliberate tactic of warfare. As of April, 2024, more than 1.1 million people in Gaza are experiencing catastrophic levels of food insecurity - the highest figures ever recorded in a modern conflict zone.
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) has designated North Gaza and Gaza Governorates as IPC phase 5 [faza 5 jest najgorsza, na tym kończy się skala] (famine), with approximately 70% of the population - around 210 000 people - facing IPC phase 5 (catastrophe) conditions. The southern governorates, including Deir al-Balah, Khan Younis, and Rafah, are currently classified as IPC phase 4 (emergency), indicating an imminent risk of famine without urgent intervention. The UN reports 10 000 cases of acute malnutrition in children since January 2025, including 1600 cases of severe acute malnutrition - a life-threatening condition requiring immediate care.
Using starvation as a method of warfare is explicitely prohibited under Article 54 of Additional Protocol to the Geneva Conventions and is defined as a war crime under Article 8(2)(b)(xxv) of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. These frameworks recognize actions, such as destroying agricultural infrastructure, blocking humanitarian aid, and depriving civilians of essential resources (eg, food, water, and medicine) as illegal and moraly indefensible.
Since the Israeli military’s ground incursion into Rafah (March 18, 2025) which is the main humanitarian crossing, aid flows have nearly stopped. This closure has led to the longest and most severe blockade of humanitarian assistance since the war began. Aid agencies report depleted stockpiles, empty markets, and skyrocketing prices - up to 1400% for basic food items - leaving families unable to feed their children.
Immediate international action is imperative. We urge the global community to:
demand unfettered humanitarian access across Gaza;
restore essential public services, including health care, water, and electricity;
guarantee safe and sustained delivery of food, fuel, and medical aid; and
enforce accountability for violations of international humanitarian law.
Deliberate starvation of civilians causes unbearable suffering and threatens to normalise such crimes in future conflicts. Upholding international legal norms requires a united and urgent response.
The Lancet, 26 maja 2025
STARVATION AS A WEAPON OF WAR: VIOLATION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has escalated into one of the most severe emergencies in recent history, with starvation used increasingly as a deliberate tactic of warfare. As of April, 2024, more than 1.1 million people in Gaza are experiencing catastrophic levels of food insecurity - the highest figures ever recorded in a modern conflict zone.
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) has designated North Gaza and Gaza Governorates as IPC phase 5 [faza 5 jest najgorsza, na tym kończy się skala] (famine), with approximately 70% of the population - around 210 000 people - facing IPC phase 5 (catastrophe) conditions. The southern governorates, including Deir al-Balah, Khan Younis, and Rafah, are currently classified as IPC phase 4 (emergency), indicating an imminent risk of famine without urgent intervention. The UN reports 10 000 cases of acute malnutrition in children since January 2025, including 1600 cases of severe acute malnutrition - a life-threatening condition requiring immediate care.
Using starvation as a method of warfare is explicitely prohibited under Article 54 of Additional Protocol to the Geneva Conventions and is defined as a war crime under Article 8(2)(b)(xxv) of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. These frameworks recognize actions, such as destroying agricultural infrastructure, blocking humanitarian aid, and depriving civilians of essential resources (eg, food, water, and medicine) as illegal and moraly indefensible.
Since the Israeli military’s ground incursion into Rafah (March 18, 2025) which is the main humanitarian crossing, aid flows have nearly stopped. This closure has led to the longest and most severe blockade of humanitarian assistance since the war began. Aid agencies report depleted stockpiles, empty markets, and skyrocketing prices - up to 1400% for basic food items - leaving families unable to feed their children.
Immediate international action is imperative. We urge the global community to:
Deliberate starvation of civilians causes unbearable suffering and threatens to normalise such crimes in future conflicts. Upholding international legal norms requires a united and urgent response.