Human Rights Watch: Israel using starvation as weapon of war in Gaza – National & International News – MON 18Dec2023

Human Rights Watch: Israel using starvation as weapon of war in Gaza.

Def. Sec. Austin announces US-led security operation in Red Sea after Houthi strikes on shipping.

Human Rights Watch: Israel using starvation as weapon of war in Gaza

Internationally-recognized humanitarian watchdog Human Rights Watch has issued a scathing new report detailing various war crimes perpetrated by Israel against the people of Gaza since October 7. One of the chief charges is that Israel is using starvation and other forms of collective punishment against Gaza’s 2.2 million civilians with the premeditated intention of making conditions in the enclave unlivable.

For nearly two decades, Israel has imposed a near-total blockade on the Gaza strip and has minutely controlled everything and everyone going in and out. As a result, even prior to October 7, “2 million of Gaza’s 2.2 million people were estimated to be facing acute food insecurity, and over 80% were reliant on humanitarian aid,” the report stated. On October 9, Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated: “We are imposing a complete siege on [Gaza]. No electricity, no food, no water, no fuel – everything is closed. We are fighting human animals and we must act accordingly.”

Since then, Israel has also severely limited deliveries of humanitarian aid. On December 6, the World Food Program (WFP) reported that, “9 out of 10 households in northern Gaza and 2 out of 3 households in southern Gaza had spent at least one full day and night without food”.

Not only that but Israel has systematically targeted facilities in Gaza used to store and produce potable water and food. In the north of Gaza, satellite images show that agricultural fields have been razed by bulldozers since Israel invaded. This means that even once the carnage has subsided, producing food in Gaza will be impossible for the foreseeable future.

The report calls on foreign governments, including the US, to “suspend military assistance and arms sales to Israel as long as its forces continue to commit widespread and serious abuses amounting to war crimes against civilians with impunity”.

Read the full Human Rights Watch report here (opens in new tab).

More: Internally displaced Gazans scramble for aid (opens in new tab). 

Def. Sec. Austin announces US security operation in Red Sea after Houthi strikes

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was in Tel Aviv today with the stated purpose of trying to push Israel to be “more surgical” in its attacks on Gaza. Just weeks ago, the US sent Israel one hundred 2,000-lb. “bunker-buster” bombs. Last night on the eve of Austin’s visit, Israel killed 110 people when it struck three apartment blocks in Jabalia refugee camp in the north of Gaza.

After his meeting with senior Israeli officials, Austin then announced that the US would be mounting increased naval patrols of the Red Sea in response recent attacks on shipping by the Houthis in Yemen. The US will join forces with Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, the Seychelles, Spain and the UK to patrol the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

The Houthis declared war on Israel over a month ago and recently announced they would attack any ships passing nearby which they believed were traveling to or from Israel. The Houthis attacked and seized ships passing through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which leads into the Red Sea and ultimately to the Suez Canal. About 12% of the world’s shipping passes through the Suez Canal. The alternative is a much more costly and sometimes perilous trip around the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa.

Austin’s announcement came after oil giant BP announced this morning it would be pausing shipments through the Red Sea in response to recent attacks. Last week, four of the world’s top five shipping firms announced they would be pausing transits through the Red Sea. 

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More: Biden’s support for Israel endangers US global interests (opens in new tab).