The ICHR urgently called the UN and relevant international organizations to swiftly take the procedures necessary to pressurize the Israeli occupation authorities to open the border crossings and allow the unhindered access of food supplies to all parts of the Strip, particularly the northern Strip, which has been subjected to tightened besiege by the occupation forces for over 40 days with the entire population forcibly displaced.

On November 8, 2024, the Famine Review Committee (FRC) issued an alert to “express concern about an imminent and substantial likelihood of famine occurring, due to the rapidly deteriorating situation in the Gaza Strip”, drawing “immediate attention on the need to take urgent action to alleviate this humanitarian catastrophe” in the Strip, particularly in the northern Strip.

The FRC called for immediately allowing “unimpeded humanitarian supplies of food, water, medical and nutrition supplies, and other essential items to enter the Gaza Strip and for these to be distributed to all populations in need, ending the siege in the northern areas of the Gaza Strip, and ceasing attacks on health facilities and other essential civilian infrastructure.

It also called for immediately “permit]ting[ the restitution of health and nutrition care by allowing the re-supply and repair of health facilities and releasing health staff from detention so they can perform their medical functions, facilitate]ing[ the recovery of the WASH system by allowing required supplies to enter the Gaza Strip and necessary repairs to take place, permit]ing[ shipment of supplies into the Gaza Strip to allow for winterization of available accommodation and reduce the risks of excess morbidity and mortality due to environmental stress and disease outbreaks in the coming months.”

The ICHR pointed out that more than 400 days after the genocidal war on the Strip, the Israeli occupation continues to use starvation as a weapon of war that threatens the majority of the population of the war-torn Strip.

It affirmed that the systematic policy pursued by the occupation authorities is a direct violation of the Geneva Conventions as well as of the rulings of the International Court of Justice, which calls Israel, the occupying power, to “take all necessary and effective measures to ensure, without delay, in full co-operation with the United Nations, the unhindered provision at scale by all concerned of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance, including food, water, electricity, fuel, shelter, clothing, hygiene and sanitation requirements, as well as medical supplies and medical care to Palestinians throughout Gaza, including by increasing the capacity and number of land crossing points and maintaining them open for as long as necessary.”

The Committee called for pressure on Israeli occupation to force them to immediately implement the recommendations of the FRC without any delay.

It also called for the formation of a committee to be in charge following up on the implementation of the ICJ rulings and obliging Israel to comply with them, as well as for allowing food assistance access to the Strip in a manner that meets the needs of the population.