Israeli Ben-Gvir Denies Hunger in Gaza, Defends Blockade Policy

Tel Aviv, MINA – Despite widespread warnings from international humanitarian organizations about severe famine in Gaza, Israel’s far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, claimed on Friday that “there is no real hunger in Gaza.”

“There is no real hunger in Gaza. If they were hungry, they would have returned the hostages home,” Ben-Gvir posted on social media platform X.

He further added, “I support starving Hamas in Gaza,” in a controversial statement that has sparked global outrage.

According to Gaza’s Government Media Office, at least 115 Palestinians have died due to famine and malnutrition, amidst a near-total lack of food, clean water, and medicine in the besieged territory.

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Ben-Gvir, who heads the ultranationalist Jewish Power party has repeatedly supported cutting all humanitarian aid to Gaza. He advocates for the reoccupation of the enclave, the expulsion of its Palestinian population, and the building of illegal Israeli settlements, positions widely criticized by the international community.

His recent comments appear to justify Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s policy of blocking aid into Gaza, a policy condemned by multiple humanitarian groups as a form of collective punishment. These actions have raised serious concerns over the weaponization of food as part of what many are calling a genocidal campaign.

More than 100 international aid and human rights organizations have condemned the worsening famine in Gaza. Aid workers have joined starving civilians in food lines, risking death from Israeli sniper fire near aid distribution points. Over 1,000 Palestinians seeking aid have reportedly been killed near these locations since May.

In a joint statement, these organizations called on Israel to open all land crossings, allow unrestricted humanitarian aid under a UN-led mechanism, and implement a ceasefire. “Massacres at food distribution sites are occurring near-daily,” the groups said.

Also Read: Israeli Airstrikes Kill Eight Palestinians, Including Four Children in Gaza

Since Israel broke a ceasefire agreement on March 18, thousands more Palestinians have been killed and wounded in continuous aerial bombardments across the Gaza Strip. []

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)

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