Since the beginning of March 2025 and with the end of the first phase of the ceasefire and resumption of its military aggression, the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) have unprecedently tightened their siege on the Gaza Strip, closing its crossings and blocking the entry of essential humanitarian aid, including foodstuffs. Amid these harsh conditions and the ban on fuel entry, all Gaza’s bakeries have completely shut down and most field kitchens that had been providing meals to hundreds of thousands of residents have also closed. In parallel, suffering has intensified as most basic goods have run out of Gaza’s markets, including flour, sugar, rice, fruits, and vegetables, in addition to the unavailability of meat, poultry, and fish. Additionally, the few remaining goods in the markets have reached skyrocketing prices, leaving Gazans unable to secure their basic food needs. Moreover, field kitchens and gatherings of people waiting in line to receive food have been targeted by the IOF, terribly worsening the famine crisis.
Women and children are the most affected groups by the IOF’s starvation policy, which targets over two million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, where humanitarian conditions have reached catastrophic levels. More than 65,000 children are now at risk of death due to malnutrition and lack of food, while over 50 children have died from these causes since the beginning of the military aggression.1
Aya al-Iskafi (21), who lost her baby girl due to the IOF’s starvation policy, shared her story of sorrow that has weighed heavily on her heart, saying:
“During the war, I became pregnant with my second child, Jenan, and we endured the most difficult conditions. We did not have enough food, and prices were skyrocketing. My husband would bring us two loaves of bread to share, and some days he could not even find any, so our meals were limited to rice or lentils. This had a catastrophic impact on my health during pregnancy. I suffered from malnutrition, which caused me dizziness and severe pain. On 22 December 2024, I gave birth naturally to my daughter Jenan, who weighed 2.6 kilograms. Two weeks after her birth, Gaza’s crossings were reopened, and we returned to the northern Gaza Strip, where access to food gradually improved. My daughter’s weight began to increase, reaching 4.5 kilograms two months after her birth, and she was fully dependent on breastfeeding. Unfortunately, that did not last long. Within two months, the crossings were closed again, and the war resumed. Food became extremely scarce, and my daughter’s health began to deteriorate. She suffered from dehydration, and her weight dropped to 2.8 kilograms at just three months old. Doctors had to supplement her breastfeeding with formula milk, but formula was also severely limited due to the ongoing siege. We stayed for 14 days at Al-Rantisi Hospital, where my daughter could not breastfeed and relied only on IV fluids. After we were discharged from the hospital, she completely refused breastfeeding, and my breastmilk was insufficient due to the lack of food. Then, my daughter suffered from chronic diarrhea. We did our best to get special milk to treat the diarrhea, but it was unavailable. On 26 April 2025, we managed to obtain a medical referral for treatment abroad, but due to the crossings’ closure, my daughter could not travel and receive the urgent treatment she needed. On 01 May 2025, my daughter Jenan was clinging to life on a ventilator, sustained only by IV fluids. She suffered terribly from hunger, and her blood sugar was continuously high. She was in severe pain in front of me, while I was helpless and unable to help her or alleviate her pain. My heart was breaking, but I couldn’t do anything given the lack of resources and harsh conditions. On 03 May 2025, my daughter died of hunger. Saying goodbye to her was an indescribable pain, and everything she endured continues to torment me every moment of my life.” 2
Basma ‘Awad (27), who fears losing her daughter at any moment, said:
” On 05 January 2025, I gave birth naturally to my daughter. After giving birth, I didn’t eat well, and only relied on foods like lentils, rice, and pasta. My daughter began breastfeeding, but due to my malnutrition, my breastmilk was insufficient, so I had to rely on formula milk. After a month, she began suffering from severe diarrhea and a high fever. She was transferred to Nasser Medical Complex, where doctors discovered she was lactose intolerant and needed lactose-free formula, which was both expensive and scarce due to the Israeli siege. In recent days, I have not been able to find any formulas for her anywhere. We found an expired can and had no choice but to give it to her. I now have to give my baby only half the amount of milk she needs each day just to make it last longer. Every day, my fear grows that the formula will run out, her health will deteriorate severely, and I may lose her at any moment.” 3
Women are among the most affected groups by the IOF’s starvation policy, especially mothers, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers, who often skip their meals to prioritize their children’s nutritional needs. Pregnant and breastfeeding women, in particular, suffer from malnutrition, which negatively impacts their health and reduces their children’s chances of survival and healthy physical growth. This can lead to high rates of miscarriage, premature births, and the delivery of underweight infants.
H. K. (35), who lives in constant fear of losing her unborn child and deep pain over the possibility of giving birth under the Israeli siege, finding herself trapped between unbearable physical and psychological suffering, said:
“In October 2024, I became pregnant in October 2024, and I am now in my ninth month. The pregnancy has been extremely difficult, as I am currently suffering from severe malnutrition. There are no eggs, no chicken, no milk, no fruit, and no vegetables. Even during the temporary truce, although some goods entered the Gaza Strip, we could not afford any of the available food due to having no source of income. I eat some legumes, lentils, pasta, and rice, but even these foods have recently become unavailable. Flour is also scarce, and we often go for days without it. I am unable to live normally due to the lack of food. Throughout my pregnancy, I have lived in constant fear of losing my baby. I also worry about delivering him under these harsh conditions. I may not be able to breastfeed him due to my severe malnutrition, and formula milk is scarce across Gaza. I suffer from severe malnutrition; I have lost a significant amount of weight, and I suffer from constant dizziness, extreme fatigue, and intense stomach pain from eating poor-quality food. I’m also experiencing hair loss, pale skin, and poor concentration; all clear signs of malnutrition.” 4
Malnutrition exposes mothers and children to a range of serious health risks, including fetal malformations and neonatal mortality. It also significantly impairs children’s growth, increasing their susceptibility to intestinal infections, emaciation, and muscle atrophy, which can, in some cases, be fatal. Furthermore, children with malnutrition suffer long-term symptoms, such as an accelerated heart rate, which may lead to heart muscle failure in the future. They can also suffer from stunting and delayed mental and physical development. 5
Ni’man al-Kafarna (30), who finds herself in a tragic situation and has no options to maintain her baby’s health amid harsh conditions that make each day a new challenge, said:
“I gave birth to my daughter, who weighed 3 kilograms, amid a widespread famine. My meals were limited to lentil soup, beans, and pasta, which significantly impacted both my health and my daughter’s. Today, we are living in increasingly dire conditions, with famine tightening its grip across the Gaza Strip. Since the birth of my children, I had relied on breastfeeding, but with my daughter, Nada, I was unable to produce breast milk due to severe malnutrition caused by the Israeli siege. This forced me to use formula milk despite its scarcity and high cost. I suffer extreme fatigue and exhaustion after breastfeeding, along with symptoms of malnutrition such as forgetfulness, poor vision, decreased concentration, and frequent drops in blood sugar levels. Although my daughter is now one year and one month old, she weighs no more than 7 kilograms and is unable to crawl or walk. Her delayed growth is due to severe malnutrition. I have no alternatives and live in constant fear that formula milk will run out. I worry I will not be able to continue breastfeeding due to my physical exhaustion and the lack of food. All I wish for is that my daughter enjoys her right to adequate nutrition and grows up in a healthy and safe environment.” 6
PCHR reiterates its warning over the worsening hunger crisis among civilians in the Gaza Strip, as Israel continues to close Gaza’s crossings for more than 70 consecutive days inflicting deadly consequences. PCHR affirms that the Israel has employed starvation as a tool to bring about the total or partial destruction of the Palestinian population by: (a) inflicting serious physical or mental harm on Palestinians, and (b) deliberately inflicting on them conditions of life calculated to bring about their physical destruction in whole or in part. This constitutes an act of genocide under international law.
PCHR calls on the international community to pressure Israel to stop the crime of genocide it is committing against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, and to impose an immediate ceasefire to curb the ongoing famine looming over the Gaza Strip, which is inflicting a catastrophic impact on women and children. PCHR also calls on the international community to oblige Israel, as the occupying power, to comply with the International Court of Justice (ICJ)’s preliminary ruling issued on 26 January 2024, which orders Israel to cease all policies and practices that threaten the lives of civilians and contribute to the worsening of the catastrophic humanitarian conditions. PCHR stresses the need for all States Parties to the Rome Statute to comply with the arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Galant, on charges of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip, including the use of starvation policy as a method of warfare.
