Officials in Gaza accuse Israel of weaponizing  food and water as cries of starvation sour

Some 800,000 residents “in the governorates of Gaza and the northern enclave” are facing death because of Israel’s policy of starvation and thirst against the residents, a statement by the Gaza Media Office says.

A statement by the media office noted that the two governorates “need 1,300 food trucks daily to overcome the hunger crisis, with 600 trucks for the north and 700 for Gaza City.”

It added that Israel “is speeding up the pace of a real famine and killing 14 martyrs who tried to get food (without providing details about the deaths).”

The Media Office warned of the army’s “deliberate and intentional efforts to cause a real famine in Gaza City and the northern enclave.”

It further decried Israel’s move to prevent “aid, supplies, food, and provisions from entering the governorates, as well as shooting at trucks attempting to reach them, targeting drinking water pipelines and wells, and hindering all aspects of life.”

The statement held the “international community, the United States, and the occupation” fully responsible for the catastrophic and deadly consequences of famine and thirst, demanding that they “immediately and urgently stop the war.”

Israel has been closing the border crossings between Gaza and the rest of the world since October 7, 2023.

The Rafah crossing has been partially reopened to allow limited aid entrance, the escape of dozens of wounded and injured people, and the admission of some foreign passport holders.

Meanwhile, the death toll in the war as of Saturday stood at 23,843 and 60,317 injuries, mostly children and women.