The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has come to a devastating end, marked by a massive bombing campaign on March 18 that claimed over 400 lives. This tragic event is a culmination of Israel’s renewed policy of deprivation, which began two weeks prior with the blockade of essential goods, including food and humanitarian aid, into Gaza. A week later, Israel severed electricity supply to the enclave, deliberately targeting water desalination facilities.
These catastrophic developments have extinguished the fleeting sense of hope that emerged during the initial six weeks of the ceasefire. During this period, hostages and detainees were being released, fighting had subsided, and Israel was facilitating a steady flow of humanitarian aid. The United Nations reported that nearly everyone in Gaza was receiving food parcels, a significant improvement from the preceding months of food insecurity, inadequate access to water, and a decimated medical system.
However, ominous signs persisted, including reduced-scale Israeli attacks in Gaza, patently illegal proposals to displace Palestinians, and Hamas’s degrading treatment of returned hostages. Investigations have revealed grave war crimes committed by Israel, including detention practices and mistreatment of Palestinian detainees.
The legal implications of Israel’s renewed policy of deprivation are stark. By cutting off Gaza’s civilian population from essential goods, Israel is violating international humanitarian law. This decision also resumes and continues crimes charged in the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Netanyahu, including the war crime of starvation of civilians and associated crimes against humanity.
Human Rights Watch has condemned Israel’s actions, stating that the deliberate deprivation of Palestinians in Gaza of adequate access to water and other essential services constitutes the crime against humanity of extermination and acts of genocide. The organization has called on governments to take immediate action to prevent further harm, including an arms embargo, targeted sanctions, and support for justice.
The situation in Gaza is dire, with the population facing unprecedented deprivation and multidimensional poverty. Even if a ceasefire is accepted, and humanitarian aid is allowed to enter, the effects of poverty and deprivation will be felt for years to come. It is essential to reexamine the situation in light of the current conditions, arguments made by Israel, and the shifting legal context to ensure accountability and justice for the Palestinian people.
