Palestinian group calls humanitarian corridors, aid drops 'policy of managed starvation' that endangers civilians and degrades their dignity
Hamas on Sunday condemned Israel’s airdrop operations and limited humanitarian corridors in Gaza as a "deceptive tactic" aimed at “whitewashing the occupation’s image” and deflecting international demands to lift the siege and end the starvation campaign against Palestinians.
In an official statement, the Palestinian group described the airdrop strategy and so-called humanitarian corridors as part of “a calculated policy to manage famine, impose coercive realities, and subject civilians to danger and humiliation.”
“The arrival of food and medicine to Gaza is not a favor, it is a natural right and an urgent necessity to stop the catastrophe imposed by the Nazi-like occupation,” the group said.
It emphasized that “stopping the aggression, breaking the blockade, and opening all border crossings are the only ways to end the crime of starvation in Gaza.”
Hamas also held Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directly responsible for policies that have led to mass civilian deaths, calling his handling of aid and systematic starvation “clear-cut war crimes.”
The group urged the international community to intensify both official and popular pressure to break the siege and halt “a deliberate campaign of starvation and genocide.”
It also warned against falling for Israeli propaganda intended to distract from ongoing atrocities.
This comes as Israel carried out a humanitarian aid airdrop over Gaza on Sunday and announced plans for localized temporary pauses in fighting to allow aid delivery through designated safe corridors.
Since May 27, Israel has launched a separate aid distribution initiative through the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), bypassing the UN and international humanitarian agencies. The move has been widely rejected by the global relief community. The GHF is supported by the US.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces continue to open fire on Palestinians who gather near distribution centers, killing hundreds.
Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has pursued a brutal offensive on Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, killing more than 59,700 Palestinians, most of them women and children. The relentless bombardment has destroyed the enclave and led to food shortages.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
