After 21 months of devastating conflict with Israel, Gaza’s most vulnerable civilians — the young, the old and the sick — are facing what aid groups say is impending famine. Throughout the war, U.N. agencies and independent aid groups have accused Israel of allowing far too little food into Gaza, warning of impending famine for its more than two million people. For much of that time, Israel has said that enough food was reaching Gaza, blaming diversions by Hamas and mismanagement by aid groups for problems. The debate over whether the war in Gaza constitutes genocide has also played out at the International Court of Justice, where South Africa has brought a genocide case against Israel. The court has yet to rule on the matter. +

Here are the numbers:

• Palestinian deaths: Over 60,000 reported by Gaza health authorities
• Israeli deaths (from Oct 7 attack): ~1,200
• Displacement: Over 85% of Gaza’s population of two million
• Infrastructure: Hospitals, schools, homes, and UN facilities have been destroyed or severely damaged.

After Israel ended a two-month cease-fire in mid-March and resumed its military campaign in Gaza, it imposed a total blockade on the entry of goods for about 80 days to try to pressure Hamas into surrendering, exacerbating the already severe deprivation.

Two of the best-known Israeli human rights groups said Monday that Israel was committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, adding fuel to a passionately fought international debate over whether the death and destruction there have crossed a moral red line.

When the Israelis were fighting in the underground tunnels below public buildings, the “collateral damage” claim held more water. Since most of the country has been bombed to ruin where there is no place to hide, that is specious. When warnings are given only hours before attacks, and people are shuffled from one end of the country and back, they have no place safe left to go. Many of the right-wing advocates of the Israeli government want to eliminate the Palestinians completely, including in the West Bank.

The recent threat of the French and UK governments to recognize Palestine as a state have carried little weight in Israel. The long-standing motto of “a two-state solution” in previous negotiations has been little more than wishful thinking. As long as Hamas achieves its goal of recruiting new members from the war, it will seem difficult to find any solution. Even if outside source pressure Israel and the Hamas for another ceasefire, that only pushes the problem down the road again. This war has been going off and on since 1948.

+ Gazans are Dying of Starvation, New York Times 7/24/25, updated 7/29/25

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