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"There is no policy promoting starvation in Gaza Strip, and in fact, starvation does not exist" - Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel -

"There is no famine situation in Gaza Strip, all fake propaganda created by Hamas"

"The responsibility of distributing food to Gaza Strip residents lies with the UN and international relief organizations, and they must improve the efficiency of relief distribution and ensure that relief supplies do not fall into Hamas hands" - Israel Defense Forces -

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Israel has been at war with the Palestinian militant faction HamasAn Islamist political party and militant group in Palestine, founded in 1987 in resistance to Israeli occupation., and from March to May, it enforced a food blockade that spread famine throughout the entire Gaza StripA Palestinian-governed territory on the Mediterranean coast, forming part of Palestine along with the West Bank. As of 2024, it is estimated to have a population of 2.3 million, most of whom are Palestinian refugees and their descendants, making it one of the most densely populated areas in the world. The name and capital of the Gaza Strip is Gaza City, while the most populous city recently is Rafah. It borders Egypt and Israel. Since Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip in 2007, conflict with Israel has continued, and since October 2023, Israeli military operations have caused severe civilian casualties.. Although Israel partially lifted the blockade and changed the food distribution method at the end of May, hundreds of Palestinian residents seeking aid were shot and killed by Israeli forces.

Even in March, when Israel broke the ceasefire, Palestinian residents of the Gaza Strip were experiencing the worst hardships. Most buildings were damaged, and nearly all residents were displaced. As the war resumed, the situation became much worse, and the number of people dying from starvation increased rapidly.

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As the number of starvation deaths surged, concerns continued to grow that hunger in the Gaza Strip caused by Israel's food restrictions had reached its limit. The World Health Organization (WHO) criticized Israel for creating an artificial mass famine in the Gaza Strip through its blockade, but Prime Minister Netanyahu has maintained his stance that there is no famine in Gaza.

According to health authorities in the Gaza Strip, about 200 residents have died from starvation and malnutrition since the outbreak of war in October 2023. Recently, at least 147 people, including children, have died from malnutrition, and it is reported that 70,000 infants and young children are at risk of starving to death. As the food blockade and limited supply have continued for a long time, the speed at which deaths from insufficient nutrition are increasing has also accelerated. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has stated that one in five children in Gaza is suffering from malnutrition.

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Israel began supplying relief goods to the Gaza Strip by air-drop on July 26. It also announced that, starting July 27, it would suspend military operations in the Gaza Strip for 10 hours each day. The severe food crisis caused by the prolonged blockade of the Gaza Strip has led to a rising death toll and growing international criticism, which appears to have influenced this decision.

The Israeli military stated, "We are launching a series of operations to improve the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and to counter the false claim of a 'deliberate famine,'" adding, "As part of our efforts to allow and facilitate the entry of relief supplies, we will resume airdrops tonight."

On the first day of the suspension, relief supplies were brought in, but due to the nature of air-drops, supply was insufficient, and many were injured, so chaos continues. International organizations have condemned such limited methods as air-drops, saying they are far from enough to resolve the food crisis in the Gaza Strip.

The ruins of Gaza Strip / Drone footage released in 2023 by NBC News and other foreign media

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On July 29, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) partnership, a famine monitoring system consisting of UN agencies and NGOs, issued a statement warning that the food situation throughout the Gaza Strip had reached 'famine,' the highest of the five famine phases. As of July, one in every four households (24%) in the Gaza Strip is suffering from severe hunger.

On the same day, health authorities in the Gaza Strip announced that the Palestinian death toll from the 21-month-long Israel-Hamas war had surpassed 60,000. Regarding this announcement, Al Jazeera, a broadcaster in the Arab world, explained, "One out of every 36 residents of the Gaza Strip has died, and an average of 90 people die each day."

AFP Yonhap News

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France has declared that it will recognize Palestine as a state. On July 24, French President Emmanuel Macron stated on X (formerly Twitter), "In line with France's historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, France has decided to recognize Palestine as a state," adding, "We will formally announce this at the UN General Assembly in September." He continued, "The most urgent task today is to end the war in the Gaza Strip and provide relief supplies to civilians."

The United Kingdom announced that it would recognize Palestine as a state if Israel fails to take substantive steps to end the war in the Gaza Strip and does not commit to a lasting peace process. On July 29, the British government issued a statement saying, "If Israel does not agree to a ceasefire, halts its plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank, and does not support a two-state solution, the UK may recognize Palestine as a state before the UN General Assembly in September." The statement added, "Prime Minister Starmer said Hamas must release all hostages, sign a ceasefire, accept that it will play no role in the Gaza government, and disarm."

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President Donald Trump, who had avoided questions about the famine in the Gaza Strip for months, acknowledged for the first time on the 29th that "there is real famine" in Gaza, recognizing the seriousness of the situation. He mentioned plans to establish food centers in the Gaza Strip and said that not only the United States, but also the United Kingdom and the European Union, would participate.

President Trump, while acknowledging the famine crisis in the Gaza Strip and publicly differing from Prime Minister Netanyahu's position, still maintained that the Israeli authorities should remain responsible for distributing relief supplies.

'Our Genocide, Massacre' - Report Released by Israeli Human Rights Organization -

Opposition Voices Within Israel Against Their Own Government's Inhumane Actions

"Israel is Committing Massacre Against Palestinians in Gaza" - Israeli Human Rights Watchdog 'B'Tselem' -

"What We Are Witnessing Is a Clear and Deliberate Attack Against Civilians to Eradicate a Group" - B'Tselem Secretary General -

However...

"(Israel's Actions Lack) the Core 'Intent' of Genocide. If There Were Intent to Commit Massacre, It Would Be Illogical for a Country to Send 1.9 Million Tons of Aid" - Israeli Government -