Ramallah: Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa has accused Israel of deliberately using starvation as a weapon of war in the Gaza Strip, warning that the territory is facing an unprecedented humanitarian disaster due to the ongoing blockade.
The remarks were made during a press conference on Monday, July 21, at his office in Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank, attended by several UN agency representatives. Mustafa called for immediate and unrestricted humanitarian access to Gaza, urging the international community to act against what he termed a deliberate policy of deprivation.
“Nearly 900,000 children in Gaza — 93 percent of the child population — are at imminent risk of death from hunger,” he said, citing warnings from UNICEF and Save the Children.
Mustafa held Israel, as the occupying power, legally responsible under international humanitarian law for ensuring the delivery of food, medicine and other essentials to Gaza’s population.
He condemned the deaths of over 995 Palestinians who, according to him, were killed while waiting for aid, calling the areas where they gathered “death traps”.
International community must act
Mustafa urged global leaders not to remain silent or be distracted by “geopolitical theatrics”, saying the crisis tests the credibility of international law.
“The legitimacy of the international system is at stake. Upholding human rights must not come with exceptions,” he said.
Violence spreading in the West Bank
The prime minister also raised alarm over rising settler violence in the occupied West Bank. He said thousands of Palestinians have been forcibly displaced from around 70 communities due to escalating attacks and raids.
“Gaza and the West Bank are experiencing the same occupation policy — rooted in racist domination, forced displacement and the denial of our right to self-determination,” he added.
Funds withheld, services crippled
Mustafa also criticised Israel’s continued withholding of Palestinian Authority tax revenues, saying it is damaging critical sectors such as healthcare, education and food security.
“This illegal and deliberate policy is severely undermining our ability to provide for our people,” he said, urging international intervention to end the war and lift the siege.
Death toll and hunger crisis worsening
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, over 59,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since October 2023, including more than 18,000 children and 10,000 women.
In addition, 86 people — including 76 children — have died from hunger and dehydration due to the blockade, while aid convoys remain stuck outside sealed crossings.
Gaza’s Government Media Office has warned that the territory is “on the brink of mass death” after more than 140 days of near-total closure.
