Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed the United Nations’ declaration of famine in Gaza, describing it as a “modern blood libel” and an “outright lie.”

The UN-backed Integrated Food Security Classification (IPC) recently reported that over 500,000 people in Gaza are trapped in famine-like conditions, with projections that more than 640,000 will face catastrophic food insecurity by the end of September. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, at least 281 people have died from hunger, including 114 children.

Netanyahu’s Response

In a post on X, Netanyahu accused Hamas of orchestrating what he called a “starvation campaign.”

“Israel has no policy of starvation. Israel has a policy of preventing starvation. The only ones deliberately starved in Gaza are the Israeli hostages,” he wrote.

He added that such claims were a modern version of the blood libel, a centuries-old antisemitic myth accusing Jews of using Christian blood for rituals.

The Israeli leader also cited UN data, claiming that in July, out of 1,012 aid trucks sent to Gaza, only 10 reached warehouses, while the rest were looted before distribution.

Aid and Blockade

Acknowledging “temporary shortages,” Netanyahu said Israel worked to address them through airdrops, maritime deliveries, safe transport routes, and GHF distribution points run by American companies.

His statement, however, did not reference the 11-week aid blockade Israel imposed earlier this year after the collapse of the ceasefire–hostage deal in March.

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