DENIALS and spin cannot alter the ugly fact that Gaza is now in the midst of a manmade famine.

The UN’s Integrated Food Security Phase Classification panel announced this grim ‘milestone’ on Friday, confirming what many had already known, thanks to the harrowing images coming out of the besieged Palestinian territory. But Israel, which is responsible for this crime, and the US, Tel Aviv’s principal foreign backer, refuse to believe this inconvenient truth, despite the fact that there is widespread consensus on who caused the Gaza famine.

The findings say that half a million people face “catastrophic hunger” in Gaza City, while famine conditions are likely to spread to other parts of the Strip. Reacting to UN officials’ statement that the famine is the result of “systemic obstruction” by Israel, the Zionist state’s prime minister has dismissed the findings as an “outright lie”. The US State Department, meanwhile, has also cast doubts over the UN body’s findings, saying that Hamas was promoting a “false narrative” regarding mass starvation in Gaza.

Although many of their elders were murdered and starved by Nazi Germany, Israel’s current rulers seem intent on replicating the repulsive tactics of the Third Reich. After all, Gaza has been transformed into a modern concentration camp, with tens of thousands of Palestinians — including innocent children — murdered by Israeli forces in much the same fashion as Hitler’s troops butchered European Jews.

Moreover, the heart-wrenching images coming out of Gaza, particularly of starving, lifeless youngsters and babies, bear a striking resemblance to the gaunt, ghostly pictures of the victims of the Holocaust. Along with imitating Nazi tactics in the form of genocide and ethnic cleansing, and manufacturing a famine in the occupied territory by severely restricting the entry of food and water, Tel Aviv and its American supporters have also seemingly mastered the Nazis’ dark art of propaganda. Denying that there is a famine when all credible international institutions say Gaza is being purposely starved is a clear example of this.

There is little doubt that genocide and starvation in Gaza are a stain on humanity’s conscience. Many states and institutions have expressed their shock over the UN panel’s findings regarding famine. However, empty rhetoric and ‘thoughts and prayers’ will not ease the Palestinians’ plight. If the international community is serious about ending Israeli crimes in Gaza, then there must be solid action.

Until Tel Aviv declares an unconditional ceasefire and lifts the Gaza siege by allowing in food, water, fuel and medicine, all UN member states should impose a trade and weapons embargo on Israel. The Arab and Muslim states must lead the way. It cannot be business as usual with Israel as long as it starves and slaughters innocent people.

Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2025