The ‘Worst-Case Famine Scenario’ in Gaza and the ‘Conscience of Humanity’

A new report by the UN's Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) initiative describes the situation in Gaza as the "worst-case scenario of famine." Widespread hunger, malnutrition, and disease have driven hunger-related deaths to unprecedented levels. Since March, Israel’s total blockade—now supported by a U.S.-backed plan to centralize aid distribution under Israeli control—has become one of the clearest signs that starvation is being used as a method of war.

Since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, the Netanyahu government has launched a campaign of ethnic cleansing and genocide in Gaza. Despite mounting pressure from international aid organizations, Israel continues to act with shameless defiance, even going so far as to claim that there is "no hunger" in Gaza. Meanwhile, even former U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly acknowledged the severity of the situation—though his remarks are unlikely to deter Israel’s far-right government, which is openly committed to erasing the Palestinian presence.

Israel has faced growing international pressure in recent weeks for preventing humanitarian aid from reaching Gaza through regular channels. The United Nations has warned that Israeli-imposed restrictions on aid entry and distribution have effectively "paralyzed" humanitarian operations. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs emphasized that unless at least 700 trucks are allowed into Gaza daily, mass hunger and death will be unavoidable.

As of July, reports indicated that Israel was allowing only around 100 trucks per day—and even those are under its full control. With no good-faith effort to facilitate aid, Israeli forces are using even the limited aid as a tool of war to pressure Hamas, effectively weaponizing hunger against the civilian population.

The European Union has recently echoed global concerns, stating that “unrestricted access to humanitarian aid is essential.” National parliaments in France and Spain have started debating temporary sanctions against Israel, while Dutch lawmakers have threatened to ban two Israeli ministers from entering the country. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies also revealed that only 30% of their trucks are reaching their destinations in Gaza—the rest are being blocked.

In response to rising criticism, Israel has begun announcing short “humanitarian pauses” and limited airdrops. Although these brief pauses have occasionally raised the truck count to 200 per day, countries like Germany and Spain have warned that airdrops are no more than “a drop in the ocean.”

The humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza is now reverberating in U.S. politics. Over 40 Democratic senators sent a joint letter to the Trump administration (sic), warning of the risk of "mass famine" and calling for increased funding to UN aid agencies. While avoiding direct criticism of Israel’s targeting of civilians, American politicians have emphasized the need to protect distribution points and accelerate aid shipments.

Additionally, 21 Democratic senators urged the U.S. to stop funding the Israeli-controlled Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) and instead redirect resources to UN-coordinated agencies. The GHF model, they argued, operates under military oversight, lacks transparency, and poses risks to civilians.

Prominent figures like Bernie Sanders and Hakeem Jeffries have publicly called for lifting the blockade on Gaza. While rare, even a few Republicans have joined in—ultra-conservative Marjorie Taylor Greene, for instance, acknowledged that “civilian lives are at risk” and called for increased aid.

Such statements, though likely aimed at protecting Israel’s image, show that international and public pressure is starting to affect even staunch pro-Israel conservatives. Moreover, Israel’s persecution of Christians in Gaza and the West Bank has struck a nerve with some Christian Republicans. Following a meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, former President Trump contradicted Netanyahu's rhetoric by affirming that famine in Gaza is real and that "the footage doesn’t lie."

Israel’s use of starvation as a weapon has pushed Gaza to the brink. The U.S.'s unwavering support for Israel—even when accompanied by mild complaints—has allowed Netanyahu to act with near-total freedom in the region. Despite attacks on neighboring countries and a brutal campaign of ethnic cleansing against Palestinians, Netanyahu has faced little meaningful consequence and continues to deny that hunger exists in Gaza.

Trump, the only figure with real leverage over Netanyahu, may have further enabled him by helping him evade legal consequences at home. Backed by powerful lobbying influence in Washington, Netanyahu is unlikely to take international pressure seriously unless it is accompanied by serious political and financial consequences.

By turning the notion of human conscience into a tragic farce, Israel is laying bare the full extent of the international system’s hypocrisy and moral failure.