Israel has Destroyed Food Systems in Gaza: UN

Israel has destroyed Gaza's food systems and is using food as a weapon to starve civilians, the United Nations said on Wednesday.

UN experts warn that Palestinians now living in Gaza account for 80% of those facing hunger worldwide, amid Israeli bombardment and siege efforts. Martin Griffiths, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, has stated that Israel’s war against Palestinians has brought famine with “such incredible speed.” It is reported that hundreds of thousands in Gaza are suffering from famine, which has been a direct result of the Israeli military’s blockade of aid entering Gaza.

Almost 90% of Gaza’s population has been displaced since the start of the war. The Israeli military has been carrying out air strikes in tandem with their ground offensive, which has caused heavy civilian casualties. Often, the Israeli military gives civilians notice of 24 hours or less before beginning air strikes, which gives the Gazans a minuscule amount of time to evacuate.

The displacement as a result of these strikes has increased the difficulty of bringing aid to those who have been affected by the Israeli military’s assault. This issue is compounded by the Israeli blockade of resources from entering Gaza.

According to UN human rights experts, every single person in Gaza is currently hungry, with a quarter of the population facing starvation, and difficulty finding food and drinking water. Israel is blocking access to farms and seas and using food as a weapon against the Palestinian people. This effort from Israel follows their decision to use water as a weapon against civilians, as they had previously cut off the water supply to Palestinians in Gaza.

According to recent reports, since the beginning of the Israeli military’s ground offensive on October 27, they have destroyed about 22 percent of the farmland, including gardens and greenhouses. Israel has also destroyed about 70 percent of Gaza's fishing fleet. More than 24,000 people, mostly children and women, have been killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October.