A recently released report by the Euro-Med Monitor confirms that "Israel" not only contributed to the decrease in the number of humanitarian aid trucks going into Gaza, but has also undermined the process of it in order to carry out its plan to depopulate Gaza alongside the northern Strip.

It declares that "Israel’s" objective is to force Palestinians to evacuate from Gaza to the South through the use of "military violence, intimidation, and starvation as a weapon."

The organization states that it has documented testimonies from Gaza residents who received phone calls from the Israeli forces, being asked explicitly to depart and move to the central and southern regions of Gaza for food and water and to avoid death from starvation.

Residents stated that they were sent recorded messages from the IOF telling them that humanitarian aid is only allowed in al-Mawasi since it is still “operating forcefully” in other areas.

The Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, asserted that the last time food aid was delivered by UNRWA was on January 23, when only 10 out of 35 trucks were allowed entry.

The Euro-med statement added, "[...] all of Israel’s actions contribute to the calculated starvation of Palestinian civilians which include the targeting of humanitarian workers, the closing of crossings, and severe movement restrictions, all of which have contributed to the collapse of the local system in the Gaza Strip, in addition to restrictions on communications, protective equipment, and impassable supply routes due to damaged roads, unexploded ordnance, and other effects of the Israeli military attacks taking place there."

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Airdrops and accountability

It is worth mentioning that starvation as a method of war is illegal under international law and a means of executing the crime of genocide. The Rome Statute delineates intentional attacks against personnel and vehicles engaged in humanitarian assistance missions as war crimes.

Read more: EuroMed calls ICJ members to cut all ties with 'Israel' over genocide

At the end of its report, the human rights monitor called on all nations to form a direct air bridge to Gaza to make sure frequent and heavy airdrops of food reach the entire Strip, and additionally confront and stop the Israeli plot to forcefully displace Palestinians.

It also emphasized the need for the international community to immediately pressure "Israel" to end its starvation campaign and hold it "accountable for its crimes and grave violations against the Gaza Strip and all of its Palestinian residents."

Euro-Med accused "Israel" of violating international humanitarian law, emphasizing that property damage and destruction for preventive or deterrent purposes, even for military goals, is forbidden under international law.

Just a few days ago, Euro-Med documented how Israeli occupation forces have been abusing and torturing Palestinians, in what is labeled as sadistic ways, by inflicting mental and physical harm, leaving them severely bruised. The IOF has been committing the latter while storming Palestinians' homes, and shelters, on the streets and forced evacuation corridors with no justification. 

This report comes a day after at least 114 were martyred in a massacre committed by Israeli occupation forces in al-Rashid Street, to the west of Gaza, who were waiting in line to receive aid packages from trucks in the northern Gaza Strip.

Israeli armored vehicles and tanks also ran over the bodies of several martyrs, while others fired incendiary shells toward civilians in the area, according to the commander.