The humanitarian crisis is the result of the terrorists’ cruelty and looting. But the Jewish state must still act decisively to prevent starvation. Jews around the world may have a part to play
August 5, 2025 08:25
The images from Gaza are unmistakeable. Its two million inhabitants are suffering malnutrition on a mass scale. If unchecked this will lead to starvation and death.
There are claims that this is already happening. In the fog of war the truth is a casualty. Photographs of two apparently emaciated children were broadcast around the world before it was demonstrated that they had serious underlying health conditions and in one case the boy’s mother and brother – who looked healthy – had been cropped out of the picture. The news organisations, including inevitably the BBC, fall for the propaganda every time. They appear only too happy to depict anything that shows Israel in a bad light. History has demonstrated that it was ever thus for Jews and Israel.
There is no doubt where the blame lies for the hunger crisis in Gaza. The problem is not the quantity of aid but how to distribute it. As soon as an aid truck crosses the border Hamas are waiting to ambush it, steal the food, use it to feed their fighters and sell what’s left to ordinary Gazans at sky-high prices. Hamas does not care about the hapless and helpless civilians under its rule. If they did, they would not build tunnels under Gaza’s hospitals, schools, homes and UN facilities to use as arms depots and hiding places, in the full knowledge that they are exploiting Gazan non-combatants as human shields. Hamas’ cynicism and depravity has been further exposed by the pictures of its fighters joyfully stuffing themselves with meat and vegetables as their fellow citizens plead for food.
Moreover, the war that Hamas started on October 7 would end tomorrow if Hamas released the hostages and lays down arms. It is painfully obvious that Hamas has no intention of doing so. It knows full well how the plight of the hostages traumatise Israel and the Jewish people. The footage it has released of the emaciated and skeletal Rom Braslavski and Evyatar David is horrific testament to Hamas' inhumanity and cruelty. It enjoys watching our suffering and equally it cares not a jot about the death and suffering caused to its fellow citizens in Gaza. It is a death cult and the majority of the world wishes to bring its murderous rule of Gaza to an end.
And yet. The images of Palestinian women and children begging for food are gut-wrenching. It is inescapable that Israel has responsibilities here. It controls the borders and deploys its military force throughout most of the territory. It has made significant efforts to facilitate food distribution by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation and international agencies. And inevitably Israel gets blamed when the IDF are forced to defend themselves when the food distribution points are in danger of being overrun, or when Hamas open fire on Gazans who are simply trying to access the aid on offer.
It is unthinkable to us as Jews that even a single Gazan should die of starvation. Our ethical values impel us to save life, help those suffering and make the world a better place. We cannot look away. I agree with the Chair of Yad Vashem, Dani Dayan, who wrote in the Jerusalem Post on July 28 that seeing the humanity of others, even in war, is not a sign of weakness but a testament to our strength.
The Jewish state that has brought Iran and Hezbollah to their knees and crushed much of Hamas is not without the resourcefulness and skills that have attracted the admiration, however grudging, of the world. These abilities must be urgently harnessed to enable safer and more effective distribution of food aid to Gazans.
Perhaps Jews around the world have a part to play, including by contributing know-how, ideas and even volunteering. Here is one idea. Israel controls the coastline of Gaza. It has created the humanitarian area of al-Muwasi which is on the coast and vast numbers of Gazans have fled or been ordered to move there. Israel can facilitate the arrival of food aid there from the sea with no danger to its soldiers. It is more than capable of creating a secure perimeter of a food aid zone which can be expanded as the need dictates. More Gazans will find their way there once they know they can live and eat there in safety. Why not establish an extensive field kitchen at al-Muwasi for the cooking and distribution of food to hungry Gazans? If volunteers are needed, count me in.
I am neither a security or military expert. If my idea won’t fly, it can be shot down and I won’t complain. Then let’s have more ideas, because at least some of them can work.
I am proud that our religious and lay leaders have reflected these values, and spoken strongly and consistently about their concerns for the plight of ordinary Palestinians.
My successor as current President of the Board of Deputies, Phil Rosenberg, has been clear in saying that food must not be used as a weapon of war, that military force alone cannot resolve a conflict that feeds on despair, and that the far-right extremists in the Israeli coalition are a stain on Israel. There is no contradiction between saying these things and the Board’s vigorous campaigns for the release of the hostages, and against Hamas, Iran and the axis of terror.
A recent initiative to bring aid to Gaza by the UK-based charity World Jewish Relief has been proudly supported by the Board of Deputies and the JLC, alongside our community’s religious leaders from across our community including Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis.
I strongly support these humanitarian stances and encourage Jewish communal leaders to maintain their focus on the evolving situation, and to continue to respond appropriately. We are a diverse community and finding consensus can at times be difficult, and at other times impossible. As a former President of the Board of Deputies I know how hard communal leaders work to hold us together. We are at our best when we are guided by our Jewish values, while at the same time keeping at the forefront of our minds how best to advance the security and wellbeing of the land and people of Israel.
We need practical solutions. Some of our political leaders looking to make gestures of solidarity want to focus on recognition of Palestine. While a two-state solution remains a long-term goal, symbolic recognition will do nothing for ordinary Palestinians right now, and may risk encouraging Hamas to carry out further atrocities.
The diplomatic focus must be a ceasefire that brings home all the hostages, ends the malign rule of Hamas and allows a massive influx of aid. This would have overwhelming Israeli public support and would be emphatically welcomed by British Jews also. It will clear the way to consider the future for Gaza. The UK government should ensure maximum pressure on the international community to secure this.
But with or without a ceasefire, Israel must cooperate with all available agencies to flood the Gaza Strip with aid and ease the terrible scarcity. Gazan civilians, including hundreds of thousands of innocents, cannot be allowed to starve because of the crimes of Hamas.
Jonathan Arkush is past President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, 2015-2018
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