Israel deliberately starving Gaza, Amnesty International says

Amnesty International has accused Israel of carrying out a deliberate campaign of starvation in the Gaza Strip.

In a report published on Monday, the human rights group said Israel was "systematically destroying the health, well-being and social fabric of Palestinian life", citing testimonies of starved people.

The combination of widespread starvation and disease in the besieged enclave is not a byproduct of military operations, it added, but rather the outcome of Israeli plans designed to bring about the "physical destruction" of Palestinians.

"The testimonies we have collected are far more than accounts of suffering, they are a searing indictment of an international system that has granted Israel a license to torment Palestinians with near-total impunity for decades," said Erika Guevara Rosas, senior director for research, advocacy, policy and campaigns at Amnesty International.

"The impact of Israel's blockade and its ongoing genocide on civilians, particularly on children, people with disabilities, those with chronic illnesses, older people and pregnant and breastfeeding women is catastrophic," Rosas added.