A study released recently challenges the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) investigation into starvation claims against Israel and sheds light on the role of the Hamas terror organization in aid distribution.
Last week, due to Hamas terrorists’ refusal to extend the ceasefire and release 59 hostages in Gaza, Israel halted all goods and supplies entering the region.
Despite criticism from U.N. relief chief Tom Fletcher, who described the decision as “alarming,” the Trump administration has supported the move.
Retired Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, a former IDF international spokesperson and now a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, dismissed claims of starvation, telling Fox News Digital that Hamas hoards supplies while Israel ensures aid enters. “Over 25,200 trucks arrived during the ceasefire – enough for four months. If there’s hunger, it’s because of Hamas corruption, not a lack of food,” he said.
The study published by Israeli public health experts, based on data from Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), challenges these claims, showing no evidence of famine or intentional deprivation.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan
Publishing the study posed challenges. “Given the anti-Israel bias in parts of the scientific community, we opted to submit to the Israeli Journal of Health Policy Research, a peer-reviewed journal under Springer Nature,” Troen said. “We wanted the data available quickly to improve humanitarian efforts. However, the political climate made the review process unusually intense.”
“This was one of the most rigorously reviewed studies I’ve ever worked on,” Endevelt added. “We had five reviewers, far more than usual, and months of back-and-forth revisions to ensure absolute accuracy.”
The research team, including experts from Hebrew University, Ben-Gurion University, Tel Aviv University and Haifa University, conducted the study with a commitment to scientific rigor. The paper, now widely cited, underscores the importance of transparent data in evaluating humanitarian crises.
“One thing is clear: given the amount of food entering Gaza and ongoing reports of hunger, distribution must be improved,” Troen concluded. “Effective cooperation between U.N. agencies, COGAT, and Palestinian civil society, without Hamas’ interference, is crucial to ensuring aid reaches those who need it most.”
