Israeli study finds Gaza starvation result of deliberate policy amid sustained denial

What happened

Middle East Eye Gaza reports on an Israeli study by scholar Shmuel Lederman published by the Forum for Regional Thinking at the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute, arguing that starvation in Gaza was the result of a deliberate and systematic policy during the conflict starting in October 2023. Lederman’s study, titled Data for Denial: The Smokescreen Behind the Starvation of Gaza, highlights sustained public and political denial within Israel over this issue.

Outside Brief is treating this as a source-led account. Any disputed responsibility, casualty figure or battlefield claim should be read as unconfirmed/hearsay unless confirmed by another reliable source. Lederman explains that denial among the Israeli public is part of a wider culture seeking to justify or minimize the army’s conduct in Gaza. The study notes how international warnings about the humanitarian crisis were often dismissed or reframed to align with Israeli official narratives. Starvation was acknowledged by some commentators only by mid-2025 and described as isolated miscalculations rather than reflecting an overarching policy.

The research focuses on how access to food—not just its availability—was severely restricted. The study documents Israeli policies limiting aid, fuel, and cooking gas supplies, alongside destruction of key infrastructure like bakeries and disruption to humanitarian operations, all contributing to Gaza’s deepening food crisis. According to Lederman, the strategy involved maneuvering around humanitarian 'red lines' to manage international pressure during the war.

Known from the source

• An Israeli study published by the Forum for Regional Thinking at the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute finds starvation in Gaza was deliberate.
• The conflict referenced began in October 2023.
• Aid, fuel, cooking gas supplies were restricted and key infrastructure such as bakeries was damaged or disrupted.
• The Israeli military unit Cogat claimed 80 aid trucks per day sufficient in August 2025, while international organizations required between 250 and 600 trucks.
• There was a period of increased aid access in May 2024 following US pressure, which was later tightened again.

What remains unclear

A focal point of the controversy is the number of aid trucks allowed into Gaza. Israeli military civil administration body Cogat claimed in August 2025 that entry of 80 trucks per day sufficed to meet Gaza’s population needs. This contrasts starkly with international estimates: the US administration estimated about 250 trucks per day were needed, while UN agencies and others placed the figure between 500 and 600. Lederman highlights that Cogat itself has previously cited higher numbers, making recent lower targets effectively an admission of ongoing starvation.

What remains unclear: Confirmation of the exact blockade and aid restriction timelines and policies after March 2025. Verification on the scale and impact of infrastructure destruction such as bakeries. Validation of aid truck estimates from multiple sources and clarification on the competing figures. Verification of claims regarding privatisation and monopolisation of aid delivery by Israeli supermarket chains.

Evidence note

Outside Brief has kept this brief source-led and attributed. Claims should be read alongside the original source linked below.

Original source: Middle East Eye Gaza. Open the source.