Israel faces mounting international criticism over the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
On Tuesday, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), a top international authority on food crises, issued a warning that “a worst-case scenario of famine is currently playing out in the Gaza Strip,” predicting “widespread death” unless immediate action is taken. The alert added pressure to Israel’s already embattled position over its conduct in the war against Hamas.
The IPC report did not refer to the 50 Israeli hostages believed to be held in harsh conditions inside Hamas’s vast underground tunnel network, built over the past two decades.
One day earlier, US President Donald Trump expressed concern about worsening conditions in Gaza, warning of “real starvation” and urging Israel to allow greater access for humanitarian aid and ensure civilians receive food.
His comments came just hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied that starvation is occurring or that Israel has a policy of deliberately depriving the population. The contrast marked a rare and visible split between the two leaders over the nearly two-year-long war.
“There is a difference between difficult conditions that emerge from a lengthy war, during which Hamas has taken over supplies intended for civilians … and intentional starving on Israel’s part,” Meir Ben-Shabbat, head of the Misgav Institute for National Security and former national security adviser, told The Media Line. “Trump is well aware of the situation and will not allow for the war to end with Hamas still standing.”
Facing rising international reproach, Israel finds itself increasingly isolated in its fight against Hamas.
There is no longer an understanding of why Israel keeps fighting this war, and the credit it initially received has maxed out
“Israel has reached this point because the war has dragged on for so long,” Dr. Roby Nathanson, director of the Macro Center for Political Economics, told The Media Line. “There is no longer an understanding of why Israel keeps fighting this war, and the credit it initially received has maxed out.”
From the start, Netanyahu set two core objectives: the release of all Israeli hostages captured by Hamas on October 7, 2023, and the destruction of Hamas itself.
“The facts about the civilian distress in Gaza are clear, but it is Hamas that is responsible for the suffering,” said Ben-Shabbat. “If Hamas will release the hostages and disarm, the war will end.”
Graphic images from Gaza have placed Israel in a defensive position. While denying accusations of deliberately starving Palestinians, Israel has struggled to counter widespread claims that civilians in Gaza are going hungry.
Footage circulating across social media and global news outlets shows children appearing emaciated and thousands of Palestinians crowding into aid distribution points, sometimes risking their lives for food.
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“We are witnessing a distorted campaign of international pressure against Israel over recent days,” said Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar at a Tuesday press conference in Jerusalem.
According to the United Nations, nearly 60,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war began in October 2023. The figure, which comes from the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, does not distinguish between civilians and fighters. Israel disputes the count but acknowledges a high death toll.
Hamas launched the war with a surprise offensive, killing around 1,200 Israelis and injuring thousands more in the deadliest single-day attack in the country’s history. The group also kidnapped 250 people; 50 remain in captivity.
Also on Monday, several European nations announced sanctions targeting far-right members of Israel’s cabinet.
Last week, French President Emmanuel Macron declared that France would recognize a Palestinian state in September—a move condemned by Israel and frowned upon by President Trump.
“Whoever thinks Israel will allow for this after October 7 has no understanding of what Israel has been through,” said Ben-Shabbat. “Any such accomplishment will be accredited to Hamas and will hasten its takeover of the Palestinian Authority [PA].”
The US president’s remarks acknowledging Gaza’s worsening situation may inspire more European countries to take concrete steps against Israel. In another sign of shifting diplomatic winds, Germany has adopted a more outspoken tone.
On Monday, the German government announced it would begin airlifting aid to Gaza—an unprecedented move—following a lengthy cabinet meeting. Chancellor Friedrich Merz did not rule out imposing sanctions on Israel.
“This is very concerning,” said Nathanson, who warned of an even more severe threat: the possible suspension of Israel’s participation in Horizon Europe, the European Union’s flagship research and innovation funding program. The European Commission has already issued proposals to pause Israel’s involvement.
“This will be a catastrophe for Israel with a huge impact on scientific research in Israel, which relies on a lot of EU funding,” he added.
Even before the war, Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts had long stalled.
Since the early weeks of the war, the international community has pushed Israel to present a plan for Gaza after the fighting ends. Netanyahu’s political allies—who oppose a Palestinian state and favor continuing military operations over diplomacy—have resisted such proposals.
Netanyahu himself has rejected allowing the PA, which governs parts of the West Bank, to return to Gaza or take part in its future administration.
“The lack of vision and the fact that Israel has offered no light at the end of the tunnel regarding who will run Gaza the day after Hamas is very harmful,” Nathanson said.
On Monday night, Netanyahu’s office released a statement arguing that Hamas is manipulating global perceptions: “While the situation in Gaza is difficult and Israel has been working to ensure aid delivery, Hamas benefits from attempting to fuel the perception of a humanitarian crisis,” the statement read. “As such, they have been releasing unverified numbers to the news media while circulating images that are carefully staged or manipulated by Hamas.”
Last week, the UN warned that the entire population of Gaza—2.1 million people—faces “high levels of acute food insecurity.” In response, Israel has expanded humanitarian aid, allowing Jordan and the United Arab Emirates to airdrop supplies.
Throughout the conflict, Israel has accused Hamas of diverting humanitarian aid for its own purposes—either to replenish its own supplies or to sell the goods at inflated prices to fund its operations.
On Sunday, the Israeli army announced daily tactical pauses in specific areas to “ensure the safe passage of more convoys delivering aid,” according to a military statement.
Weeks after taking office earlier this year, President Trump introduced a controversial proposal for the voluntary relocation of Gaza’s civilian population to other countries.
The plan was condemned internationally as ethnic cleansing and forced displacement. Still, it gained traction among Israel’s right wing. The American president described the relocation as a way to extricate Gazans from their “misery,” suggesting the US would lead reconstruction efforts.
This is the move Hamas fears the most
“This is the move Hamas fears the most,” said Ben-Shabbat. “It could solve the humanitarian duress in Gaza and answer Israel’s critics. Instead of defending itself, apologizing and explaining, Israel should promote the plan for voluntary immigration from Gaza as a solution to the fundamental problems and the ‘starvation campaign’ while putting Hamas under pressure.”
After the backlash, the White House clarified that the plan would be a temporary option. Netanyahu later stated that Gazans should be allowed to choose whether to leave.
He has consistently insisted that Israel has no alternative but to achieve “total victory,” which means the complete removal of Hamas from power. The group’s founding charter calls for Israel’s destruction, and its leaders have vowed to repeat the October 7 attack.
For many Israelis, eliminating Hamas from the southern border is nonnegotiable.
Israel needs to continue its war until it reaches all of its goals
“Israel needs to continue its war until it reaches all of its goals,” Ben-Shabbat said. “This is an existential war for Israel, and if Hamas remains in power, it will be a victory for radical Islamic terrorists, not only in Gaza but in other arenas.”
As the pressure on Israel continues to mount, Netanyahu and his government may be forced to buckle.