Gaza siege further evidence of 'Israel’s' genocidal intent: Amnesty
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Amnesty has urged the global community to take immediate action to lift the "cruel and inhumane" siege on Gaza.
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Palestinians receive humanitarian aid distributed by UNRWA in Jabalia, Gaza, on April 9, 2025. (AP)
Following two months of a cruel blockade imposed by "Israel" on Gaza, Amnesty International has called on the occupation to immediately lift its devastating siege, describing it as a genocidal act, an unlawful form of collective punishment, and a war crime involving the use of starvation as a weapon.
By obstructing the entry of essential supplies needed for the survival of civilians, "Israel" is continuing a policy that deliberately creates life-threatening conditions for Palestinians in Gaza; conditions Amnesty says are designed to bring about their physical destruction, amounting to genocide.
Gaza an inferno of death, destruction
New, harrowing testimonies collected by Amnesty International in April reveal the severe humanitarian consequences of "Israel’s" total blockade, where starvation and the denial of vital resources are being weaponized in blatant violation of international law.
“The extent of human suffering in Gaza for the past 19 months has been unimaginable, and it is a direct consequence of Israel’s ongoing genocide. Apart from a brief respite during the temporary truce, Israel has relentlessly and mercilessly turned Gaza into an inferno of death and destruction,” said Erika Guevara Rosas, Amnesty International’s Senior Director for Research, Advocacy, Policy, and Campaigns.
"Apart from a brief respite during the temporary truce, Israel has relentlessly and mercilessly turned Gaza into an inferno of death and destruction."
Rosas urged the global community to act, calling on "Israel’s" allies to pressure it to lift the siege, allow unhindered humanitarian aid, and implement a sustained ceasefire to prevent further atrocities.
Harrowing testimonies
"Israel’s" continued refusal to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza defies multiple rulings by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which have ordered that Palestinians be granted access to essential assistance and basic services.
Amnesty International gathered testimonies from 35 displaced individuals taking refuge in Gaza City, as well as six residents of Beit Lahia. Their accounts reveal a dire humanitarian crisis, with the population pushed to the edge of survival.
Compounding the crisis, "Israel’s" decision on March 9 to cut power to Gaza’s main desalination plant has severely restricted access to clean water. This plant was the only one in Gaza reconnected to "Israel’s" power grid in November 2024, following a total blackout that began on October 11, 2023.
Hunger, water crisis, and unrelenting desperation
One Palestinian told Amnesty they hoped they would "finally have a chance to mourn our dead in peace, to bury those we couldn’t bury and to start life,” explaining that “conditions were very tough, but at least we could start planning for something other than death.”
Nearly 70% of Gaza is now covered by evacuation orders and no-go zones, cutting off access to food sources and livelihoods, particularly for farmers and fishermen. This has led to widespread hunger, with basic foods like fish and meat becoming unaffordable. One fisherman described the life-threatening risks he faces at sea, saying his family’s survival depends on fishing, despite the constant threat of being shot by Israeli forces.
'I don’t want my child to die hungry'
Gaza’s severe food crisis is being worsened by profiteering, with individuals hoarding and reselling essentials at inflated prices, while a cash shortage drives withdrawal fees up to 30%. Most Palestinians now depend on overcrowded community kitchens, often receiving just one meal a day.
One parent expressed desperation, saying the goal is simply to keep children from starving. “We don’t ask if food is nutritious or not, if it’s fresh or good; that’s a luxury, we just want to fill the stomachs of our children. I don’t want my child to die hungry."
Infants and pregnant or breastfeeding mothers are being hit the hardest, with 92% failing to meet basic nutritional needs, according to OCHA.
Gaza’s long-standing water crisis has reached critical levels, with some residents forced to drink seawater due to infrastructure damage and fuel shortages. In Beit Lahia, families went five days without water.
Gaza's healthcare nearing collapse
One resident described the peril of sending children to fetch water amid constant bombardment. Meanwhile, the lack of cooking gas and affordable fuel is forcing people to burn hazardous materials, leading to widespread respiratory illnesses, especially among women.
Gaza’s healthcare system has nearly collapsed due to ongoing Israeli military assaults and the blockade on humanitarian aid. At Al-Rantissi Pediatric Hospital in Gaza City, able to briefly reopen during the truce, doctors report severe shortages of vital medical supplies and equipment.
Children 'are fading'
“We are the only hospital in Gaza dedicated to providing dialysis for children… following the siege, we’ve been having shortages, including in AV fistulas, which doctors need to prepare patients for dialysis treatment,” one doctor explained.
Doctors also described the visible effects of hunger on children receiving treatment. “They are fading," one said.
Another physician reported a rise in cases of severe child malnutrition, including infants without access to baby formula, alongside a dangerous lack of critical medications like insulin.
Amnesty urges global response
Amnesty International strongly condemned any use of humanitarian aid as a tool for forced displacement or in the creation of discriminatory aid zones, emphasizing that such actions breach international law.
“The shameful failure of third states to uphold their legal duties to prevent and stop Israel’s actions in Gaza, which amount to genocide, and to enforce respect for international humanitarian law across the Occupied Palestinian Territories, is deeply troubling,” said Erika Guevara Rosas, Amnesty International’s Senior Director for Research, Advocacy, Policy, and Campaigns.
“Decades of inaction have enabled a culture of impunity for Israel’s repeated violations, now culminating in unprecedented levels of death, destruction, and human suffering for Palestinians.”
Amnesty condemns third states
Guevara Rosas condemned third states for failing to uphold their legal obligations to prevent "Israel’s" actions in Gaza and ensure compliance with international humanitarian law, saying their long-standing inaction has enabled "Israel’s" impunity and led to an "unprecedented toll of death, destruction and suffering on Palestinians."
“States must take action to render Israel’s violations against Palestinians politically, diplomatically and economically unsustainable – the siege on Gaza must end now. They must impose a comprehensive arms embargo on Israel and fully support and cooperate with the International Criminal Court.”
