A recent investigation by US-based outlet The Intercept exposes how the Israeli blockade has turned Gaza’s food crisis into a weapon of war. Despite the abundance of supplies in neighbouring countries, Gaza’s population is trapped in a man-made famine, created not by scarcity but by deliberate policy. Border closures, endless delays, and restrictions on humanitarian convoys have left thousands of tonnes of aid stuck in Jordan and Egypt, while children in Gaza waste away.

According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, at least 222 people, more than 100 of them children, have died of hunger in recent weeks. Over 18,000 children have been treated for severe acute malnutrition this year, and many others are denied life-saving care due to medicine shortages. Food prices have spiralled out of reach, with a single bag of flour selling for around $100 when available. In desperate attempts to reach the few remaining aid points, over 1,500 people have been killed.

Human rights groups warn that starvation as a weapon violates international law and constitutes a war crime under the Geneva Conventions. They stress that temporary “pauses” or restricted corridors cannot undo the harm, only the complete lifting of the blockade and unimpeded aid can avert mass death. The investigation concludes that this crisis is no accident, but the outcome of a calculated political and military decision: to starve Gaza into submission, no matter the human cost.