Israel has expanded its total ban on humanitarian supplies entering large areas of the Gaza Strip as part of its ongoing genocide, waged since Oct. 7, Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor said in a statement emphasizing Israel's use of starvation as a weapon against civilians.
The occupation army had planned to largely cut off the Gaza Strip's central governorate from the Strip's southern areas during the past 48 hours by imposing restrictions on movement and limiting the supply of humanitarian aid, such as food and drinkable water, the statement said.
Although allowed into the Gaza Strip in small amounts, humanitarian supplies over the past two days have been confined almost entirely to the Rafah Governorate in the extreme south of the Strip. These supplies have included sparse distributions of aid, mostly water and flour. The humanitarian aid to the neighboring Khan Yunis Governorate, however, was halted due to Israel's severe attacks.
Since Israel resumed its attacks on the Gaza Strip last Friday following a one-week temporary humanitarian pause, humanitarian supplies have been completely prevented from entering Gaza and its northern areas, which have been isolated by the Israeli army for more than a month now as part of its ground incursions.
According to Euro-Med Monitor, Israel has extended its restrictions on humanitarian aid to encompass over 65% of the Gaza Strip's total area.
The Israeli orders to evacuate roughly 20% of Khan Yunis City, which is home to over 110,000 people, as well as 21 shelter centers that house roughly 50,000 displaced people the great majority of whom have already been recently displaced from north Gaza in Israel's ongoing assault on the Strip are likewise a cause for deep concern, the Euro-Med Monitor stated.
Along with the forced evacuation orders and increasing ground incursions in the Khan Yunis Governorate, the Geneva-based organization warned that Israel would soon be expanding its ban on the entry of humanitarian supplies even further as part of its plan to forcibly displace the people of Gaza.
Israel has been using its starvation campaign as a tool of subjugation since the beginning of its ongoing genocide in the Gaza Strip. This campaign includes bombing and destroying bakeries, factories, grocery stores, water stations, and tanks, in addition to cutting off all food supplies, the statement added.
The Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor called for swift international action to impose a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and stop the situation from degenerating further by allowing all residents fair and unrestricted access to basic and relief supplies, i.e. by ensuring that fuel, food, water, medical supplies, and other necessities are readily available.