Starvation used a weapon of war

Translated by Angela Tagliafierro

The news by Human Rights Watch dating to a few days ago highlighted how in the Gaza Strip the Israeli Government is using starvation as a war weapon, which is, inevitably, a war crime.

Using starvation as a weapon of war, forbidden from the International Law since 1977, has been defined by conventions, charters and resolutions as a war crime. But, at this point, who respects the International Law?

In 1977 the first steps toward a firm condemnation of the use of starvation as a war crime were moved. The first Additional Protocol of Geneva Convention (regarding international wars) firstly establishes that “starvation of civilians as a method of warfare is prohibited” and, secondly, “it is prohibited to attack, destroy, remove or render useless objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population […]” (article 54). The article 14 of the Second Additional Protocol (concerning the non-international wars) is not far from this affirmation, reiterating that “starvation of civilians as a method of combat is prohibited”.

Later, in 1988, the Chart of Rome by the International Penal Court confirms that “intentional starvation of civilians, depriving them of useless objects indispensable to their survival, including impeding them intentionally aid supplies” is a war crime (article 8).

Furthermore, in 2018 the Resolution 2417 was adopted, aiming to reinforce further the condemnation of the use of starvation as a war crime. There is an obvious, strong connection between the food crisis and the wars. Therefore, in 2016, the General Secretary of the United Nations noticed that ten, among the most serious world food crisis, have been instigated by a war. And the number of people suffering from starvation all over the world are constantly increasing.

This is not the first time for starvation being used as a war weapon. In 1932-1933, Stalin tried to subjugate the Ukrainian population through an “artificial” famine (Holodomor). It is still the Russian government to use starvation as a weapon in war when they occupied Ukraine some decades later, in 2022. In Yemen starvation was also used as a devastating war weapon: as a matter of fact, both sides used the naval and air blockades, limitations to humanitarian aid, air attacks against farms, water systems and the fishing equipments.

So, it is no surprise what it has been going on in the later months in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli Government is blocking the water and food supplies on purpose; so doing, the population is forbidden from feeding and quenching their thirst. At the same time, it is wiping out the agricultural areas, so that civilians are deprived of essential objects for their survival. Bombardments have destroyed the lands and the water systems. It is, then, evident that this is not only about civilians being deprived of food and water, but also impeding them to get essential services to make and distribute food, like farms, water systems, markets, lands.

The situation in Gaza is tragic: in the north of the area, 9 families out of 10 spent a day and a night without eating, 2 out of three in the south of the area.

How is it possible to affirm that in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli government is effectively using starvation as a weapon of war?

The interviews made to civilians by Human Rights Watch do nothing but confirm all this described. A pregnant woman affirmed to walk for at least three km to get a litre of water. On the contrary, Hana, a thirty-six-year-old woman, said that she had to drink not drinkable water, since she could not get drinkable water all the time.

It is necessary to consider what the members of the Israeli government said, too. The Minister of the Defence Yoav Gallant affirmed that “they are imposing a total siege on Gaza. No electricity, no food, no water, no fuel”. The Minister of the National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir added that “hundreds of tonnes of explosives are the only thing entering in Gaza, not a grain of humanitarian aids.” Their declarations are countless, all linked by a file rouge: the cut on food, water, gas, energy supplies and the attacks to the essential services of production. There’s no room for interpretation.

However, there has not been any penal lawsuit against this crime yet from an international point of view. The result is that some governments and some politicians think to be allowed to keep on with these strategies. Meanwhile, the war keeps being fought on civilians’ starvation: they keep paying the highest price. And this is not news. 

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