Palestinian Territory – Israel continues to use starvation as a weapon in its ongoing genocide against civilians in the Gaza Strip, contributing to their destruction. These policies deplete essential means of survival and forcibly drive displacement by tightly controlling the quantity and type of food and goods allowed into the enclave, as well as restricting humanitarian and commercial supplies, worsening the humanitarian crisis and risking renewed widespread famine.
Israel is exploiting the international community's focus on the war it and the United States have launched on Iran to tighten the siege on the Gaza Strip and continue using starvation in a manner that deepens the humanitarian catastrophe and reinforces the destructive impact of the ongoing genocide against civilians. Israel fully closed the crossings with the Strip during the early days of the war, later reopening only one crossing while reducing the number of trucks permitted to enter.
On 28 February, Israel closed all crossings with the Gaza Strip, suspended the entry of aid, fuel, and goods, and halted coordination of humanitarian missions in areas where Israeli forces remain deployed or nearby, as well as medical evacuations, the return of residents from abroad, and the work of humanitarian personnel.
Since the reopening of Kerem Shalom, Israeli authorities have allowed only a few dozen trucks to enter Gaza through the end of last week, still falling short by about 30 trucks per day compared to the daily average permitted before the war with Iran
Additionally, on 3 March, Israeli authorities reopened the Kerem Shalom crossing for limited quantities of fuel and aid shipments arriving via Egypt and Israel, while aid transfers from the West Bank and Jordan remained suspended until 5 March. Some commercial imports were also allowed to resume through the same crossing, but in reduced quantities compared with the previous period, which had already accounted for only about 40 per cent of the agreed volumes under the ceasefire arrangement.
Since the reopening of Kerem Shalom, Israeli authorities have allowed only a few dozen trucks to enter Gaza through the end of last week, still falling short by about 30 trucks per day compared to the daily average permitted before the war with Iran.
Israel continues to violate its obligations under the ceasefire agreement, particularly regarding the entry of humanitarian aid and commercial goods. The agreement stipulates the entry of approximately 600 trucks per day, including 50 fuel trucks. However, Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor has verified that the actual number entering does not exceed 41 per cent of the agreed total.
The most significant breach of the agreement concerns fuel, with only 14.8 per cent of the agreed quantity allowed to enter, resulting in the severe disruption of vital sectors, including hospitals, water and sanitation networks, relief services, and transportation.
According to data gathered by Euro-Med Monitor, a total of 37,369 trucks have entered the Gaza Strip since the ceasefire took effect on 11 October 2025. Of these, 20,926 were humanitarian aid trucks, representing 56 per cent; 15,312 were commercial trucks, representing 41 per cent; and 1,131 were fuel trucks, representing 3 per cent, reflecting a serious failure to meet agreed commitments.
Euro-Med Monitor warns that Israeli authorities present misleading figures regarding the volume of aid entering Gaza and refuse to subject entry procedures to independent international monitoring, hindering verification and accountability, worsening the humanitarian supply crisis, and maintaining full control over the type and quantity of goods allowed into the Strip.
The continued closure of the Rafah crossing for travel since the outbreak of the war with Iran, despite only 1,934 travellers having crossed in both directions during its previous opening out of 6,600 expected travellers, reflects a compliance rate of just 29.3 per cent and indicates a deliberate restriction on arrivals and a lack of commitment to the humanitarian protocol governing the crossing's operation.
This restriction constitutes not only a breach of the ceasefire agreement but may also amount to a grave violation of international humanitarian law, including the use of starvation against civilians. In its broader context, it forms part of acts that may constitute genocide, particularly through the deliberate imposition of living conditions intended to bring about the physical destruction of a population in whole or in part, and the infliction of serious bodily and psychological harm.
The severity of this measure is compounded by the systematic destruction of local food resources and supply chains in Gaza, depriving residents of the ability to rely on internal sources and rendering their survival almost entirely dependent on external aid. The deliberate disruption or restriction of this aid flow exposes civilians to severe deprivation of food and other necessities.
Euro-Med Monitor affirms that Israel continues to commit genocide in the Gaza Strip through a comprehensive siege, blocking the entry of humanitarian aid and essential goods, and preventing the reconstruction of homes and civilian and food infrastructure, thereby deliberately imposing living conditions that lead to physical destruction in whole or in part, inflicting severe harm, and forcing displacement.
The continuation of these policies exacerbates food insecurity and threatens a return to famine amid widespread infrastructure destruction, the collapse of local food production, and the disruption of essential services, including water, sanitation, healthcare, transport, storage, and distribution. This deprives the population of the ability to compensate for shortages or rely on internal resources and makes their access to food, medicine, and other basic necessities dependent on what Israel permits to enter from abroad.
The international community must take immediate and effective action, including imposing sanctions on Israel, lifting the siege on Gaza, and ensuring the immediate and unrestricted entry of humanitarian aid, fuel, and commercial goods in line with actual needs. It must establish independent international monitoring of entry and distribution mechanisms; open all crossings for goods and people, including for medical evacuations and humanitarian staff rotations; enable the United Nations and humanitarian organisations to operate safely and without obstruction; allow the entry of materials needed to restore basic services and civilian and food infrastructure; and exert serious pressure on Israel to end the use of siege and starvation against civilians and to comply fully with international law and accountability mechanisms.
