24 DAILY NEWS – Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Chris Hedges has denounced the use of starvation as a weapon against Gaza’s civilian population, calling it a deliberate and systematic form of collective punishment by the Israeli government. In a powerful exposé published in The Real News Network, Hedges draws on firsthand testimony and historical precedent to argue that the starvation campaign in Gaza is not just an act of war—it’s a crime against humanity.
### Historical Context and Siege Tactics
Hedges, who covered conflicts in the Middle East for decades, emphasizes that what is happening in Gaza follows a long history of siege tactics used to break civilian morale. He compares Israel’s blockade and destruction of Gaza’s food infrastructure to the siege of Leningrad during World War II and the tactics used by Saudi Arabia in Yemen. According to Hedges, these methods aim to starve people into submission.
### Deliberate Targeting of Food Supplies
“The Israeli leadership understands exactly what they’re doing,” Hedges states. “They are deliberately targeting food supplies, bakeries, fishing boats, agricultural fields, and even aid convoys. This is not collateral damage—it’s policy.”
### Humanitarian Crisis and Eyewitness Accounts
Multiple humanitarian agencies and eyewitness accounts confirm Hedges’ claims. The World Food Programme has reported catastrophic food insecurity across Gaza, where more than 80% of the population is now reliant on dwindling humanitarian aid. Since the beginning of the war, dozens of bakeries have been destroyed in Israeli airstrikes. Farmers have been shot while tending to crops, and fishing zones have been severely restricted.
### Israeli Officials’ Statements
In his report, Hedges also points to the statements by Israeli officials that openly describe their strategy. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant famously said, “We are putting a complete siege on Gaza. No electricity, no food, no water, no fuel. We are fighting human animals.”
### Violation of International Law
Such declarations, Hedges argues, amount to confessions of war crimes. Under the Geneva Conventions, the use of starvation against civilians is strictly prohibited and constitutes a crime under international law.
### International Complicity and Silence
Hedges criticizes the international community, especially Western powers, for their complicity and silence. He accuses the United States and European allies of enabling Israel by providing military aid and political cover, despite being fully aware of the consequences on the ground.
### Moral Catastrophe and Global Implications
He concludes his exposé by warning that what’s happening in Gaza is not just a localized humanitarian disaster but a moral catastrophe that threatens to erode international norms of warfare and human rights.
“This is not just about Gaza,” Hedges says. “It’s about what kind of world we want to live in. A world where powerful states can starve children with impunity is a world sliding toward barbarism.”
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