#06 The Hunger Role-Plays
The weaponization of humanitarian aid is not only a tool used by Israel to break and subjugate the Palestinian people in Gaza—it is also a political strategy aimed at neutralizing any real pressure to stop the ongoing genocide, including sanctions and legal accountability.
This may sound counterintuitive. Many believe that Israel’s unprecedented, systematic starvation campaign will push Western governments to take serious action. But we urge you to consider the opposite.
For Israel—and for its allied Western governments—escalating starvation in Gaza is simply another bargaining chip at the negotiating table. It allows Israel to demand that no meaningful action be taken to end the war or hold it accountable for war crimes, in exchange for allowing the bare minimum of humanitarian supplies into the Strip.
At the same time, it gives Western governments a pretext to maintain their façade of concern for human rights and international law. After nearly two years of genocide, over 100,000 martyrs, and the destruction of more than 70% of Gaza, European governments now hide behind the excuse of prioritizing food and aid delivery to avoid their legal and moral duty to impose sanctions on Israel.
In this criminal diplomatic role-play between Israel and Western powers, the starvation of children, women, and men becomes a tool to enable collusion and impunity.
Our friends, colleagues, and partners in Gaza are speaking with one voice: No aid has truly entered. The packages dropped from the air are landing in areas fully controlled by the Israeli army—danger zones—and offer no real relief. The people of Gaza are still starving, no matter what American and European diplomats claim.
This genocide must end. Israel must face sanctions. Its leaders and soldiers must be brought to justice—for Gaza, and for the future of our shared humanity.
This is the message we must insist on, and never water down—even when blackmailed by Israel’s weaponized starvation.
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Inspire
We had the honor of supporting "A Smile for You"—a small initiative in Gaza that is creating a space for young women between the ages of 14 and 17 who have lost family members and endured the horrors of the Israeli war. It is an empowering, creative space where girls reclaim agency rather than passively receive support. They launched a series of activities to raise awareness about sexual exploitation and violence during the war, and to share practical, accessible solutions for personal hygiene in these difficult times. They also worked to raise awareness about the dangers of Israeli explosives disguised as everyday objects, teaching children to be cautious while playing. The girls published materials, organized workshops, and took part in learning music, drawing, acting, and writing.
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