Many people throughout the world, including steadfast friends of Israel, are appalled by the scenes of starvation and hunger coming out of Gaza. The initial Israeli claims that enough food was getting through (remember when the number of trucks allowed in each day was being discussed?) have been replaced by a declared policy of not letting any food, water, or medicine into the territory. This has been going on for nearly 3 months, and it is compounded by open declarations of Israeli ministers within the government that the goal is to starve Gazans into surrender. Furthermore, this has been enforced by right wing settlers actually blocking food supplies destined for Gaza in Israeli ports and the entrances of Gaza—not to mention military strikes against bakeries, food storage facilities, aid centers, and aid organization vehicles.
In order to deflect international outrage, while simultaneously seeking to appease coalition partners who still insist on denying any food in, Netanyahu proposed a new, diabolical policy to weaponize so-called “humanitarian aid” and introduce a system whereby miniscule amounts of food are doled out to pre-screened individuals in weekly installments at Israeli-controlled distribution centers. At these centers, Palestinians are to be herded into long lines under the sun, monitored with biometric scanning devices, and given boxes of food that would last each approved family for a week. The rationale is that only in this way will Israel ensure “that food does not end up in the hands of Hamas officials” who would then control its distribution and sell the rest of it to finance its ongoing military functions.
Netanyahu even openly declared in a press conference that this plan is intended to be used as an additional weapon to bring about “total victory” and vanquish Hamas. No evidence was given that Hamas is indeed stealing food supplies, and several aid agencies contradict this allegation. On the contrary, evidence exists that Hamas has attempted to safeguard food convoys and that convoy guards have been targeted by Israeli drones and quadcopters.
Not a single UN, international, or local aid agency has agreed to participate in this scheme. So, Israel proceeded to create its own agency, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, composed of US subcontractors (i.e. mercenaries) hired to implement the scheme. However, the head of the new agency, a former sniper who fought in Iraq, resigned before the plan was implemented on the grounds that it was in gross violation of basic humanitarian principles. Furthermore, the first attempt at distributing food boxes under this scheme ended in chaos, as starving Palestinians who were forced to wait for hours under the sun stormed the facility and looted the existing food boxes (and biometric scanning equipment) while the subcontractors fled the scene. Yet, Israel still insists on carrying out this scheme as the only vehicle for providing food to starving Palestinians.
It is clear that the problem of starvation is easily solvable. The situation was intentionally created by Israel to deliberately destroy existing supplies and all food distribution capabilities. Animals have been slaughtered, fields have been destroyed, as have fishing boats, and access to the sea has been denied. Aid agencies have been targeted. Thousands of trucks are already waiting at the border, and existing international organizations with decades of experience in administering food programs to millions in devastated areas around the world are already on the ground. UNRWA has a well-documented and brilliant record, specifically in Gaza, of open, transparent, neutral, and responsible distribution of food, aid, and the administering of clinics and health facilities. Its employees, minus the over three hundred UN staff members already killed by Israel, are willing to carry out these services at great risk to themselves. Israel’s cynical use of starvation as a weapon of genocide and population control is both grossly immoral and illegal. The fact that Israel can openly carry out such a policy is an embarrassment to the international community and a blot on the face of humanity. Those of us who advocate on behalf of Palestinians, including the many who are engaging in a fast/hunger strike in solidarity with the people of Gaza must not be fooled by cynical Israeli “gestures” and attempts to avoid responsibility. Our demand is that Israel should lift the siege entirely and that humanitarian assistance, most especially food, should be freely allowed into Gaza. And, it should be distributed by reputable UN and other international agencies with a proven commitment to humanitarian principles. Food must not be weaponized as just another form of Israeli control. Israelis are responsible for this crime, but all of us are responsible for the impunity Israel enjoys as it literally gets away with murder and genocide.
