New Delhi: The Right to Food (RTF) Campaign has strongly condemned the Israeli government’s use of starvation as a weapon of war in Gaza. The campaign also criticised the Indian government’s complicity in Israel’s war crimes.
In a statement, the campaign — a network of organisations and individuals advocating for the right to food and nutrition in India — expressed outrage over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where over 90% of the population is suffering from acute food deprivation. The campaign noted that the Israeli army has targeted hospitals, health centers, ambulances, and health workers, leaving the injured without medical care.
“During the last nine months, tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians including countless children have been blown to pieces, buried under the rubble, charred to death or grievously wounded. Most of the injured have been deprived of medical care as the Israeli army relentlessly targeted hospitals, health centres, ambulances and health workers (more than 500 have been killed so far). For good measure, the survivors are now being starved,” the RTF mentioned.
The RTF added: “United Nations agencies estimate that more than 90% of the population of Gaza is suffering from acute food deprivation. Rampant undernutrition and abominable sanitary conditions have led to the rapid spread of disease. The Health Ministry in Gaza has recently declared a polio epidemic, no less.”
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The campaign demanded an immediate ceasefire and an end to all cooperation with the state of Israel. It also called for the Indian government to take a strong stance against Israel’s war crimes, rather than subsidising Indian companies that produce military material for Israel.
“Unfortunately, the government of India has done nothing to contribute to an end to these war crimes. On the contrary, it has remained a faithful ally of the Israeli government – subsidising Indian companies that produce military material for Israel, sending Indian workers to Israel in replacement of Palestinian workers, and suppressing protests against Israel in India. Even at the United Nations, India has mostly abstained from efforts to bring about resolutions that would restrain Israel,” the RTF stated.
Underlining the role of the Indian government, the RTF further said that “complicity with genocide occurs when “some positive action has been taken to furnish aid or assistance to the perpetrators of the genocide” and suggested that “this is an accurate description of what the Indian Government is doing at the moment”.
“The use of starvation and disease as weapons of war is unacceptable, full stop,” the RTF mentioned.
The RTF stands in solidarity with the people of Gaza and Palestine, upholding their right to food, freedom, and self-determination.
“We call for an immediate end to the war and ceasefire now. We the Right to Food Campaign of India uphold the Right to Food and Freedom of the Palestinian People,” it added.
The statement was signed by prominent activists and organisations, including Aysha and Gangaram Paikra, Kavita Srivastava, Aruna Roy, and Colin Gonsalves, among others.