Jerusalem (EFE).- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday framed control over the narrative on Gaza as an “eighth front” in the country’s war, aimed at countering accusations of genocide and deliberate famine tied to Israel’s offensive in the enclave.
“Seven fronts against Iran and its proxies. The eighth: the battle for the truth,” Netanyahu said during a ceremony hosted by United States network Newsmax at Jerusalem’s Waldorf Astoria hotel.
“Israel does not have a policy of starvation,” the prime minister said, responding to Gaza Health Ministry figures reporting at least 235 deaths from malnutrition, including 106 children.
Netanyahu claimed the Israeli army warns civilians to leave combat zones, but Hamas prevents evacuations by shooting at those attempting to flee. “And they blame Israel for genocide, it’s ridiculous,” he said.
These warnings refer to evacuation orders issued before ground advances or airstrikes.
However, residents and humanitarian groups say attacks have often occurred without prior notice.
As a result of such displacements, over 425,000 people are sheltering in tents on Gaza’s Mawasi beaches, and another million are in Gaza City.
Last Friday, Israel’s security cabinet approved expanding the offensive to both areas.
Netanyahu’s remarks come as international organizations, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Israeli groups B’Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights, accuse Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.
The death toll from the offensive has surpassed 61,500, according to local authorities.
The International Court of Justice is currently hearing a genocide case against Israel brought by South Africa.
Meanwhile, a surge in deaths linked to malnutrition, more than half of the 235 recorded since October 2023 occurred after July, and has intensified criticism.
The trend has pushed countries such as the United Kingdom, France, and Canada to signal plans to recognize a Palestinian state in September.
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, used by the UN, reports that Gaza has reached two of three famine thresholds: a sharp drop in food consumption and acute malnutrition.
A famine has not yet been officially declared because the third criterion, mortality from starvation, has not been fully verified.
However, the UN has warned that “there is growing evidence that widespread hunger, malnutrition, and disease” are driving up hunger-related deaths. EFE
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