Halachic Left

As a longtime humanitarian who has battled famines and hunger crises, I fear that starvation in Gaza has now passed the tipping point and we are going to see mass-scale starvation mortality. A thread on famine momentum, famine response, and what it means for Gaza today.

Gaza is starving, and yes - Israel is responsible haaretz.com/opinion/editor…

INVESTIGATION: The Israeli army is routinely attacking Palestinian rescue teams, paramedics, and other civilians in ‘double tap’ bombings designed to prevent them from saving the wounded after airstrikes. By @yuval_abraham @mekomit 972mag.com/double-tap-isr…

Doctors and health officials report wave of hunger deaths in Gaza on.ft.com/46iUoK6

'No victory over the bodies of children': Israelis march against starvation, war in Gaza haaretz.com/israel-news/20….

Every world leader needs to ask themselves if they are ready to be complicit in a famine on their watch. If they are not, they must act decisively now, using every possible political and diplomatic tool, to pressure Israel to lift this unlawful and murderous blockade. /end

Instead of allowing and facilitating a genuine famine response, Israel is persisting with this GHF farce and using it as a pretext to block legit aid groups. It is fundamentally unserious and cynical - and as the reports out Gaza make clear, it is failing on the merits.

Humanitarians can't tackle the famine until the political and security obstacles are removed. Israel's aid restrictions and ongoing incessant violence towards Palestinian civilians make a proper famine response effectively impossible.

Famine response has made great strides over the years and can be miraculously effective when given the space to work. The innovation and evolution in response tactics has made famines much rarer in recent decades. But nothing like this is remotely possible right now.

Famines gain momentum if they are not controlled early. The time to prevent starvation deaths is weeks prior, when people reach a state of severe malnutrition. The time to prevent severe malnutrition is months earlier, when long-term food deficits set in.

The result: starvation deaths that had previously been one-off cases are now emerging in growing clusters. 43 starvation deaths (at least) in the last three days, compared to 68 recorded over the course of the war. Both figures are likely undercounts, but the trend here is key.

Yesterday, we organized the Flour March. Thousands of us, Jewish and Palestinians, marching with sacks of flour in our hands and fire in our hearts. We came because we refuse to stay silent as our government commits atrocities in Gaza.

The situation in Gaza is dire. Over 60% of buildings are damaged and 2m people have been displaced. America must now use all its power to bring about a negotiated end to the fighting. That is essential in order to avoid mass starvation economist.com/leaders/2025/0…

Gaza is suffering man-made mass starvation caused by a blockade on aid into the Palestinian enclave, World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said reut.rs/4mgTRgB

Gaza faces a severe humanitarian crisis as Israeli restrictions on aid lead to widespread malnutrition and starvation, with hospitals overwhelmed by malnourished children. wapo.st/4o5O2Ek

Please join us and @bradlander , it is more crucial than ever.

Breaking News: President Emmanuel Macron said France would recognize the state of Palestine, making it the first of the G7 nations to do so. nyti.ms/3GVjhkQ

As the war in Israel approaches its third year, Zach Truboff calls upon Israeli society and its friends abroad to confront the spiritual and moral cost of the violence. thelehrhaus.com/commentary/the…