Thousands of Palestinian children in the Gaza Strip are facing an increased threat of starvation, the United Nations has warned, as Israel’s continued blockade of food, water and other critical supplies to the besieged and bombarded coastal territory enters its third month.
The UN’s child rights agency (UNICEF) said on Friday that more than 9,000 children had been admitted for treatment for acute malnutrition since the start of the year.
Gaza’s Government Media Office has released a report accusing Israel of using starvation as a weapon of war, calling it a “crime of genocide” and saying that starvation as a method of warfare is explicitly prohibited under international law.
The report cites systematic destruction of food sources, blockage of aid, and direct targeting of bakeries, farms and relief centres since Israel’s assault began 19 months ago.
It warned that more than 2.4 million Palestinians are facing hunger and malnutrition due to reduced food truck access and a tightened blockade.
The office called for urgent international action to lift the siege, open border crossings for aid, and prosecute Israeli leaders for war crimes.
More than 52,300 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza in a brutal Israeli onslaught since October 2023, most of them women and children.
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.