Amnesty International has accused Israel of deliberately starving Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, describing the policy as a blatant violation of international humanitarian law. In a statement on 18 August 2025, the organisation cited new testimonies confirming that the systematic deprivation of food, medicine, and essential supplies is intentional, aimed at crippling the health and social fabric of Palestinian society. Amnesty called the situation “a stark indictment of the international system,” which it said has allowed Israel near-total impunity for decades.

Humanitarian groups warn that this so-called “engineered starvation” has created catastrophic conditions for civilians. Aid deliveries are limited to a handful of trucks, directed to remote locations far from densely populated areas, forcing thousands to compete for minimal resources. Witnesses report scenes of desperation as the hungry jostle for basic provisions, often resulting in casualties when Israeli forces open fire on those attempting to reach supplies. Vulnerable groups, widows, orphans, the elderly, the wounded, and medical personnel, are effectively excluded, left to endure hunger in silence.

The case of 20-year-old Marah Abu Zuhri starkly illustrates the human toll of this policy. Evacuated from Gaza to Italy for medical treatment, she arrived in a critically weakened state after months of deprivation and died despite urgent care. Her death underscores the scale of the humanitarian crisis and the deadly consequences of Israel’s blockade and military restrictions, which continue to push Gaza’s civilians to the brink of starvation.