ICSPR: The Decision to Halt Humanitarian Aid Entry is a Continuation of the Policy of Using Starvation as a Tool of Genocide
Date: March 3, 2025
Press Release
ICSPR: The Decision to Halt Humanitarian Aid Entry is a Continuation of the Policy of Using Starvation as a Tool of Genocide
The International Commission to Support Palestinian Rights (ICSPR) strongly condemns the decision of the Israeli occupation’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to halt the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. ICSPR considers this decision a war crime and a crime against humanity, reinforcing the reality of genocide against the Palestinian people.
The Israeli occupation’s policy of using starvation as a weapon of war and its continuous evasion of humanitarian obligations constitutes a blatant violation of international humanitarian law and a repeated breach of international agreements. The occupation has prevented the entry of caravans despite an agreement for 60,000 units, allowed the entry of only 132,000 tents out of 200,000 required, and restricted rubble removal efforts by permitting only 9 machines out of 500 needed. Additionally, it has banned the entry of construction materials and essential medical supplies. The occupation has also allowed the entry of only 46.5% of the agreed-upon fuel quantity, while imposing a total ban on commercial fuel imports.
These arbitrary measures reflect a policy of collective punishment, aimed at economically and humanely suffocating the Gaza Strip, exacerbating an already catastrophic situation, especially with the arrival of the holy month of Ramadan and the drop in temperatures. This situation worsens poverty, hunger, price inflation, the collapse of essential services, and the spread of diseases. It is worth noting that 80% of Gaza’s population relies on humanitarian aid for survival.
The Israeli occupation commits this crime under the cover of the United States, which continues to disregard the ceasefire agreement, despite being one of its guarantors. Therefore, ICSPR calls on the international community and mediators to take immediate action to pressure the Israeli government to allow the urgent entry of humanitarian aid, ensure compliance with international law, provide basic necessities for victims of these crimes, and work towards turning the ceasefire into a permanent cessation of hostilities. This would enable civilians to restore normal life and pave the way for reconstruction and recovery across various sectors.
The International Commission to Support Palestinian Rights (ICSPR) holds the international community fully responsible for the crime of preventing humanitarian aid entry, due to its conspicuous silence, which amounts to complicity with the Israeli occupation. This silence enables ongoing violations against Palestinians, enforcing a suffocating blockade that has turned Gaza into an open-air prison devoid of basic living conditions. ICSPR also condemns the exploitation of this crisis by some traders who artificially raise prices and practice monopolization, worsening the suffering of citizens already enduring harsh humanitarian conditions. These practices pose an additional threat to the resilience of the Palestinian people, necessitating urgent intervention by the government in Gaza to strictly regulate prices, ensure fair distribution of aid, and curb exploitative practices that aggravate the humanitarian crisis.
ICSPR urges and demands the following:
- ICSPR calls on mediators, the international community, and humanitarian organizations to immediately intervene and pressure the Israeli government to allow the entry of humanitarian aid, open crossings for essential supplies, and end the policy of collective starvation.
- ICSPR urges governmental and regulatory bodies in Gaza to tighten market oversight, prevent monopolization and price manipulation, and impose strict legal measures against violators.
- ICSPR calls on traders and suppliers to uphold their national and ethical responsibilities by maintaining fair pricing of goods, thereby supporting the resilience of citizens rather than exploiting their suffering for personal gain.
- ICSPR urges the international community to move forward in ensuring accountability for Israeli crimes and grave violations, and to work towards ending the policy of collective punishment, which violates international law and human rights.
End.
International Commission to Support Palestinian Rights (ICSPR)
