Since 7 October 2023, anonymous accounts have been intensively and systematically spreading misleading information targeting Palestinians, specifically Palestinians from the Gaza Strip. These accounts accuse Palestinians of acting and falsifying the scenes they publish – creating propaganda. The misleading content has taken various forms and contexts, including denying issues confirmed by international organizations without providing any real evidence, such as famine in the Gaza Strip.
“Gazawood” account, which was created in November 2023 after the aggression was launched on the Gaza Strip, is one of the most prominent of these accounts. Since 7 October 2023, Kashif’s team has monitored dozens of misleading materials published by the “Gazawood” account, which varied between video clips and images taken out of context and used to support the Israeli narrative.
“Gazawood” denies famine in Gaza Strip
On 9/9/2024, “Gazawood” on “X” published a video clip showing a child falling to the ground while carrying a bowl of food. Text in the video reads: “Some Palestinians are teaching their children to throw food in order to produce propaganda videos aimed at generating media interest.”
“Gazawood” also captioned the clip with the following text: “Is there really a food shortage there?” denying the existence of famine in the Gaza Strip.
What is the reality of famine in the Gaza Strip according to international organizations?
Kashif has proven that the claim of the “Gazawood” account is misleading, by reviewing reports, data and statistics issued by international organizations.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) warned of the increasing risk of famine throughout the Gaza Strip in a statement published on 26/6/2024, due to the ongoing aggression and the restriction of humanitarian access, following a report issued by the Global Initiative for the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification.
FAO Chief Economist Maximo Torro warned that any deterioration in the situation could push more people into catastrophic levels of hunger, with almost all of the population (96%) already suffering from high levels of acute food insecurity.
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification report indicated that 495,000 people in the Gaza Strip are in a catastrophic stage of food insecurity.
While UN experts announced in a statement published on 7/9/2024 the outbreak of famine in the Gaza Strip, indicating the death of a number of Palestinian children due to hunger and malnutrition. The experts indicated that the death of any child due to malnutrition and dehydration indicates a serious collapse of health and social structures.
They stressed that Israel is waging a deliberate and targeted starvation campaign against the Palestinian people, and considered it a form of genocidal violence. The campaign has led to the spread of famine throughout the Gaza Strip. The experts announced the “death of 34 Palestinians since October 7 due to malnutrition, most of them children.”
On 5/6/2024, Al Jazeera published a report explaining that the internationally recognized Famine Early Warning Systems Network, funded by the United States Agency for International Development, stated in a report that “famine is likely to be a reality in northern Gaza, and that people, including children, are dying of hunger throughout the Strip.”
The network’s report confirmed that the aggression on the Gaza Strip and the restrictions imposed on the access of organizations concerned with humanitarian affairs hindered the collection of data to prove the existence of famine.
While the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on 6/6/2024 that 9 out of 10 children in Gaza cannot consume nutrients from sufficient food groups to ensure their healthy growth and development.
“In the Gaza Strip, months of hostilities and restrictions on humanitarian aid have led to the collapse of food and health systems, with disastrous consequences for children and their families,” she added.
Inas Hamdan, Acting Director of UNRWA’s Media Office in Gaza, told Arabi21 on 13/7/2024 that “the humanitarian situation in Gaza is tragic and extremely catastrophic, and it must be stopped as soon as possible. If urgent intervention is not made, we will face a real and terrifying disaster.”
Hamdan confirmed that “signs of famine have begun to spread dangerously in Gaza, and may claim the lives of thousands of Palestinians.”
On 22/5/2024 , the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) announced that it was unable to distribute food in Rafah because it was unable to access distribution centers due to Israeli military operations. UNRWA spokesperson Louise Waterridge confirmed that the situation in Rafah had deteriorated significantly since the Israeli evacuation orders on 6 May. “There is no security, and on top of that, we do not have unimpeded access to aid through the crossings. This is really hurting our ability to operate,” Waterridge said.
A Human Rights Watch report published on 4/9/2024 spoke about the policy of starvation and severe malnutrition in the Gaza Strip, indicating the death of children as a result of complications related to starvation.
“The Israeli government’s use of starvation as a weapon of war is proven to be killing children in Gaza,” said Omar Shakir, Israel and Palestine director at Human Rights Watch. “Israel should end this war crime, end this suffering, and allow unimpeded humanitarian access to all parts of Gaza.”
The organization quoted doctors and families in Gaza as saying that children, pregnant and lactating mothers are suffering from severe malnutrition and dehydration, and that hospitals are not equipped to treat them.
The concerned governments called for targeted sanctions and a suspension of arms transfers to pressure the Israeli government to ensure that the people of Gaza receive humanitarian aid and basic services.
On 12/6/2024, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that many people in Gaza are facing “catastrophic levels of hunger and famine-like conditions.”
“Reports indicate that food delivery is increasing, but there is currently no evidence that people most in need are getting the right amount and quality of food,” Ghebreyesus added.
A UN report issued on 10/17/2024 stated that 91% of the population of the Gaza Strip is expected to suffer from severe food insecurity reaching crisis levels. It stated that “the risk of famine will continue across Gaza throughout the winter unless the fighting stops and more humanitarian assistance reaches families.”
In light of previous reports by international organizations that indicated a serious deterioration in the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, it is clear that the residents of the Strip are facing an unprecedented food and health crisis, with deaths due to famine and malnutrition being recorded.
The Israeli occupation’s aggression on the Gaza Strip and the restrictions it imposes on humanitarian aid contribute to the aggravation of the situation, which calls for urgent international intervention to achieve an effective response to lift the siege, facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid, and alleviate the suffering of the people of the Gaza Strip.
