Israel continues airstrikes on Gaza amid accusations of deliberate starvation

In the ongoing conflict sparked by Hamas attacks on October 7, Israel has intensified its bombing campaign in Gaza, facing allegations from a human rights group of deliberately starving Palestinians.

The third month of the bloodiest Gaza war witnessed fierce fighting, with the Hamas-run health ministry reporting 110 additional casualties in strikes on Jabalia.

The UN Security Council in New York is set to vote on a ceasefire, with previous attempts vetoed by the United States, Israel’s key ally. Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin is expected in Israel as part of efforts to halt the conflict’s escalation.

The conflict began when Hamas launched unprecedented attacks, resulting in around 1,140 deaths in Israel. In response, Israel’s military actions, according to Gaza’s health ministry, have claimed over 18,800 lives, mostly women and children.

International concern has grown over the dire conditions faced by 2.4 million Gazans, including bombardment, food and water shortages, mass displacement, and plummeting temperatures. Human Rights Watch accused Israel of using starvation as a method of warfare, a charge vehemently denied by the Israeli government, calling HRW “anti-Semitic.”

As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vows to “fight until the end” to eliminate Hamas, global pressure mounts on Israel to cease hostilities. The UN vote on a resolution calling for an “urgent and sustainable cessation of hostilities” is awaited, while fears persist that the conflict may involve more of Israel’s adversaries in the region.

Amid the ongoing conflict, hospitals in Gaza face severe challenges, with several no longer functional. The destruction of healthcare facilities has drawn condemnation from the World Health Organization. The UN Security Council’s decision on a new resolution and the potential for further escalation underscore the gravity of the situation in the region.