CPC Update July 30, 2025: Starvation in Gaza, Rising International Pressure, Killing of Peace Activist in West Bank

This week has been marked by a rapid acceleration in the starvation in Gaza. The Integrated Food Security Classification platform recently announced that Gaza has reached two of the three famine thresholds: plummeting food consumption and acute malnutrition. Over 20,000 children received treatment for acute malnutrition over the last few months. The remaining threshold is deaths from malnutrition, although over 115 Gazans have died from starvation. Many of these deaths have occurred during the last two weeks.

Meanwhile, the death-toll in Gaza just passed 60,000, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. It should be noted, however, that many believe the toll is an undercount, as there are likely thousands under the rubble who have yet to be found.

Graphic images and reports of the starvation have prompted a burst of international pressure. Earlier this week, French President Emmanuel Macron said that France would recognize the State of Palestine in September at the New York United Nations General Assembly Meeting. Days ago, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he would also recognize the State of Palestinian in September unless Israel pursues a ceasefire and commits to peace in the form of the two-state solution. Even United States leaders like Donald Trump and JD Vance have expressed criticism, although very restrained. There is “real starvation,” said Trump on Monday. “Israel’s got to do more to let that aid in,” Vance remarked.

Israel has responded to this global outcry in a limited capacity. Israel has begun dropping humanitarian aid into Gaza, and it also announced that it would pause fighting for ten hours a day in order to let more food reach the strip. Still, international organizations have said that these measures will not stop starvation — only a ceasefire would allow sufficient humanitarian aid to enter the territory. Israel has painted reports of starvation as Hamas propaganda, and blamed the UN for failing to distribute aid waiting at the Gazan border. Israel also has accused Hamas of deliberately impeding humanitarian efforts and stealing aid. However, the New York Times recently released a report saying no evidence supports the claim that Hamas systemically diverts aid.

In other news, on Monday, a Palestinian peace activist named Awdaw Hathaleen was killed by an Israeli settler in Umm al-Khair, a West Bank village. The killing took place in the larger municipality Masafer Yatta, which faces constant harassment from settler violence and house demolitions. It was the subject of the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land, directed by Israelis and Palestinians, which Awdaw had contributed to.