Press Release: Veritas Press C.I.C. Author: Kamran Faqir Article Date Published: 28 Aug 2025 at 12:07 GMT Category: Middle East | Palestine-Gaza | US-Israel At War Source(s): Veritas Press C.I.C. | Multi News Agencies
Gaza City, August 28, 2025 – Gaza is now in its 692nd day under a crippling Israeli siege, as starvation continues to be systematically used as a weapon of war. The Ministry of Health in Gaza confirmed that 10 Palestinians, including two children, have died of starvation in the past 24 hours, bringing the total famine-related deaths to 313, including 119 children.
“We are seeing entire families pushed to the brink of death. There is no food, no medicine, no safety,” said Dr. Laila Hamdan, paediatrician at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza.
Israel’s Siege And The Weaponisation Of Starvation:
The blockade imposed by Israel since early March has left Gaza’s 2.4 million residents with near-total deprivation of food, medicine, fuel, and other essentials. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), famine is already occurring in Gaza Governorate, and projections indicate its expansion to Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis by the end of September. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) has labelled the crisis Phase 5, emergency levels of food insecurity.
“We are witnessing a deliberate policy aimed at starving civilians. This is prohibited under international law and should be treated as a war crime,” said David Beasley, Executive Director of the World Food Programme.
Israeli far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir publicly defended continuing the blockade:
“If we stop aid deliveries to Gaza and launch a massive, full-scale operation, it will be 100% a war effort. I am the only one in the Security Cabinet who believes no humanitarian aid should enter Gaza during fighting,” he told Israeli media.
Rising Civilian Deaths Amid Military Strikes:
Beyond starvation, Israeli military strikes continue to target civilians, including aid seekers. Palestinian media reports that 12 Palestinians were killed today by Israeli fire, including five awaiting humanitarian aid.
- Al-Shifa Hospital received bodies from an airstrike in Al-Rimal, western Gaza City.
- Al-Awda Hospital confirmed that a woman and her child were killed in Al-Bureij refugee camp.
- Hamad Hospital reported four killed and 75 injured among aid seekers in northern Gaza.
“I saw children crying for bread as tanks shelled the area. People were trampled in the chaos,” said Ahmad Mansour, a local resident in northern Gaza.
International Condemnation And The UNSC Statement:
The UN Security Council issued a rare statement condemning the use of starvation as a weapon of war. Fourteen members demanded an immediate, unconditional ceasefire, release of hostages, and unrestricted aid delivery. The United States was the sole nation opposing the statement.
Hamas welcomed the declaration, calling the U.S. a “full partner in the crime against our people,” emphasising that starvation is a prohibited weapon under international law.
“The Security Council declaration is an advanced step, showing global consensus against genocide and the weaponisation of starvation,” said Fawzi Barhoum, Hamas spokesperson.
Voices From The Ground:
Eyewitnesses and medical staff describe Gaza as a humanitarian disaster. Hospitals report widespread malnutrition, dehydration, and severe psychological trauma among children.
“We are treating dozens of starving children every day. Their tiny bodies are failing,” said Dr. Samira Abu Khalil, nutritionist at Gaza City.
Human rights organisations have condemned Israel’s blockade and targeting of aid seekers. Amnesty International called it a “calculated assault on civilian life,” while the International Committee of the Red Cross warned that famine is “rapidly becoming a weapon of extermination.”
Calls For Accountability:
International pressure is mounting. US Congresswoman Delia Ramirez condemned Netanyahu’s blockade as “starving Gaza’s children” and demanded its end. Pope Leo XIV also denounced Israel’s “collective punishment” and called for immediate humanitarian aid access.
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel is also facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice.
“Every day that aid is blocked, the international community becomes complicit in the suffering,” said Raja Shehadeh, Palestinian human rights lawyer.
Conclusion: Starvation, Siege, and Authoritarian Control
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is a deliberate, calculated campaign of starvation, blockade, and bombardment, designed not only to weaken, but to erase, displace, and control the Palestinian population. Evidence from hospitals, UN agencies, NGOs, and eyewitnesses reveals a systematic pattern: full blockade, restricted humanitarian aid, deliberate targeting of civilians, and forced entrapment in densely populated “block concentration zones”, where multi-casualty attacks are predictable.
“This is not collateral damage. Starvation is being weaponised as a method of erasure, and civilians are deliberately trapped where mass killings can occur,” said Raja Shehadeh, Palestinian human rights lawyer.
Medical professionals report catastrophic malnutrition and dehydration, while aid workers describe entire communities on the verge of collapse. The UN Security Council and independent human rights organisations have condemned these acts as violations of international law, including war crimes, crimes against humanity, and potential genocide.
“We are witnessing the systematic annihilation of Gaza’s most vulnerable, executed with bureaucratic precision and military force. This is ethnic cleansing through hunger and siege,” said Dr. Laila Hamdan, paediatrician at Al-Shifa Hospital.
Analysts note that the siege and military operations are part of a broader pattern of authoritarian control, in which Israel and the Trump administration collaborate to impose rule through war, deprivation, and ethnic erasure. By combining blockade, targeted strikes, and political shielding, they are effectively consolidating power while normalising mass civilian suffering as a tool of governance.
“The ongoing starvation, entrapment, and bombardment are not just military tactics; they are a form of authoritarian rule enforced through violence, famine, and fear,” said David Beasley, Executive Director of the World Food Programme.
Every day that humanitarian aid is withheld, every day civilians are trapped in these “concentration zones,” the risk of mass deaths escalates. This is a pre-planned method of extermination, where hunger, displacement, and military attacks function together as instruments of ethnic cleansing and authoritarian domination. The international community must act decisively: lift the siege, guarantee continuous humanitarian access, and hold accountable those responsible for orchestrating this systematic campaign of starvation, entrapment, and ethnic erasure. Inaction is not neutral; it is complicity in crimes that seek to erase a people and impose authoritarian control through war.
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