The Starvation War: Gaza’s Fight for Survival Amid Political Calculations

Without access to Gaza, international journalists rely on local reporters who risk everything to document the suffering. Over 200 Palestinian journalists have died doing their jobs. Their courageous work remains a window into a tragedy the world cannot fully see, revealing the dire humanitarian conditions on the ground.

International humanitarian agencies have described Gaza as a place where basic survival is no longer guaranteed. The International Committee of the Red Cross has warned that Gazans face overwhelming hardship, displaced from their homes and cut off from food, water, and medicine under a relentless and escalating military campaign.

The resumption of Israeli military action on March 18 shattered a brief ceasefire. Any hopes of exchanging hostages for peace have been dashed. The Israeli government blocked all humanitarian aid into Gaza, including vital medical supplies, fueling widespread fear of famine among a population already devastated by months of war.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed the proposed ceasefire terms. Backed by far-right coalition partners, he reignited the war rather than risk his government collapsing. For them, complete domination of Gaza—including replacing its population—is a strategic objective. Netanyahu is under increasing scrutiny for both past and current decisions related to the conflict.

A renewed offensive has been announced, with plans to increase air strikes and displace civilians to southern Gaza. Israeli leadership is coordinating this with U.S. support. Civilians, already displaced multiple times, will be forced to flee again. Each new offensive leads to more chaos, trauma, and the loss of innocent lives.

The United Nations estimates that most of Gaza is already off-limits to its own people due to the destruction and danger. The current Israeli plan would further shrink this space. The southern area near Rafah is overcrowded and nearly obliterated, yet it remains one of the last options for shelter.

Israel claims that Hamas controls and misuses incoming aid, but UN agencies and NGOs disagree. They have refused to join an Israeli and U.S. plan involving private security firms distributing aid under military protection. They argue that aid must remain neutral, not be used as a bargaining chip or threat.

Philippe Lazzarini of UNRWA says he’s out of words to describe the misery in Gaza. His warning is stark: if aid does not reach civilians soon, people will die of starvation. He accuses Israel of deliberately using humanitarian deprivation to serve military and political ends, labeling it a war crime.

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, or IPC, confirms the crisis. According to its latest assessment, Gaza is on the brink of famine. Nearly half the population faces acute food insecurity, and hundreds of thousands are already experiencing conditions described as “catastrophic.” These figures are harrowing and growing worse every day.

The IPC reports that tens of thousands of children and mothers urgently need treatment for severe malnutrition. Meanwhile, essential supplies sit idle on the Egyptian side of the border. Aid is blocked from entry, and the deliberate denial of basic necessities has become a central aspect of the Israeli strategy.

When asked if this might constitute genocide, Lazzarini responded that the scale of destruction and killing could lead in that direction. He stressed that the international community’s passivity enables this crisis. The world is witnessing widespread atrocities, yet diplomatic and political responses remain minimal, reflecting a disturbing moral failure.

While Israel defends its actions as necessary after the October 7 attacks by Hamas, many argue the response has become disproportionate. Even Israeli families of hostages feel betrayed. As starvation looms and destruction spreads, Gaza’s agony continues—caught between past violence and present political ambition that prioritizes territory over humanity.