Amnesty International has released a damning new report accusing Israel of deliberately weaponizing starvation against civilians in the Gaza Strip, describing it as a key tactic in what the rights group calls an unfolding genocide.

The report, published Thursday, states that Israel’s control over humanitarian aid distribution is not alleviating the suffering of Palestinians but instead systematically deepening it, pushing the civilian population toward collapse.

“The evidence shows that Israel is intentionally creating inhumane living conditions to inflict material destruction on Palestinians — a core component of the crime of genocide,” said Amnesty Secretary-General Agnès Callamard.

Drawing on testimonies from doctors and residents in Gaza City and Khan Younis, the report details catastrophic conditions, including widespread hunger, disease outbreaks, and emotional trauma. Callamard emphasized that the international community’s focus on escalating tensions elsewhere, particularly with Iran, has diverted attention from the ongoing crisis in Gaza, where “a deadly combination of hunger and disease is being weaponized to annihilate the population.”

Amnesty documented the deaths of at least 66 children from malnutrition-related causes since October — a figure it notes is likely an undercount due to severe access restrictions and the collapse of Gaza’s healthcare system.

So far in 2025, over 18,700 children have been hospitalized for severe malnutrition. Dr. Suzanne Ma’ruf of Friends of the Patient Hospital reported that roughly 15% of the children they examine show signs of moderate to severe malnutrition. “This has become catastrophic,” she stated.

Healthcare professionals described widespread cases of muscle wasting, immune system collapse, and psychological distress among Gaza’s youngest.

The report also condemns Israel’s continued blockade of humanitarian aid. Over 850 UN aid trucks are reportedly stranded at the Rafah border crossing due to Israeli restrictions, while essential supplies like fuel and cooking gas have been barred from entering Gaza since March. The destruction of Gaza’s agricultural lands and economic infrastructure has exacerbated already dire famine conditions.

Amnesty criticized the Israeli military’s “militarized and restrictive” approach to aid distribution, noting that this has led to deadly chaos at food distribution sites and hindered relief operations.

In its conclusion, Amnesty International called on the international community to take urgent and concrete action in response to the ongoing atrocities in Gaza. The organization urged world governments to demand an immediate end to the suffocating siege imposed on the Gaza Strip, which has led to a catastrophic humanitarian crisis. It further called for an immediate halt to all arms transfers to Israel, emphasizing that continued military support enables the commission of grave human rights violations. Amnesty also pressed for targeted sanctions against Israeli officials found complicit in war crimes, arguing that accountability must be enforced at the highest levels.

Finally, the organization encouraged robust international support for legal proceedings through the International Criminal Court, underlining the necessity of justice for victims and the importance of deterring future crimes.

“The world must not remain silent while genocide is unfolding before our eyes,” the report warns. (ILKHA)