‘Israel allows extensive humanitarian aid into Gaza … despite Hamas violently disrupting aid convoys and UNRWA’s collaboration with them, we persist.’
Israeli officials reacted with outrage on Monday in the face of a claim by the EU’s foreign policy chief that Jerusalem is imposing a famine on Palestinian civilians in Gaza as the war in the beleaguered territory continues to rage.
“In Gaza we are no longer on the brink of famine; we are in a state of famine, affecting thousands of people,” Josep Borrell — a Spanish official who serves as the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy — said at the opening of a conference in Brussels on humanitarian aid for Gaza.
“This is unacceptable. Starvation is used as a weapon of war. Israel is provoking famine,” Borrell continued.
“Israel allows extensive humanitarian aid into Gaza by land, air, and sea for anyone willing to help,” Katz declared in a post on X/Twitter. “Despite Hamas violently disrupting aid convoys and UNRWA’s collaboration with them, we persist.”
Katz then told Borrell to “stop attacking Israel and recognize our right to self-defense against Hamas’s crimes.”
In a blunt posting on the same platform, Israeli government spokesperson Eylon Levy noted that on Sunday, “8 million lbs. of food entered Gaza by land. That’s ~4LBS. OF FOOD PER CAPITA. That’s not famine, starvation, or catastrophic food insecurity.”
Levy added tartly: “I’m sorry if the facts are awkward for your efforts to help Hamas rapists survive 10/7 and live to fight another day.”