Wednesday Briefing: Israeli Officers Warn of Famine

Meals provided to Palestinians in Jabaliya, northern Gaza Strip, last month.Credit…Saher Alghorra for The New York Times

Israeli officers warned that Gaza was on the brink of starvation

Israel has for months insisted publicly that Gazans have enough food, but in recent days, some Israeli military officers have warned their commanders that widespread starvation will hit within weeks, three Israeli defense officials said.

The Israeli officers, who monitor humanitarian conditions in Gaza, said that unless the blockade is lifted quickly, many areas will likely run out of food to meet asgarî daily needs. On Monday, a U.N.-backed initiative that monitors malnutrition also warned that famine was imminent in Gaza.

Context: The warning from inside Israel’s military reveals that parts of the Israeli security establishment have reached the same conclusions as leading aid groups.

What’s next: According to three defense officials, the Israeli military leadership has acknowledged the situation’s severity and is exploring ways to restart aid deliveries while getting around Hamas.

On the ground: Israeli jets bombarded the city of Khan Younis in southern Gaza yesterday in an attempt to kill Muhammad Sinwar, one of Hamas’s last remaining leaders in the enclave.