01-08-2025
Half of Israelis deny Gaza famine as global protests mount
Nearly half of Israelis believe there is no famine in Gaza, according to a new Maariv poll released Friday, as international warnings over catastrophic hunger continue to escalate.
The survey, conducted by Lazar Research, found that 47 percent of respondents denied the existence of famine in the enclave. Another 41 percent acknowledged a humanitarian crisis—23 percent expressed concern, while 18 percent said they were not. Twelve percent were undecided.
Meanwhile, UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Ted Chaiban said Gaza now meets two official famine thresholds: prolonged lack of food and widespread acute malnutrition. 'One in three people are going days without food, and global acute malnutrition has exceeded 16.5 percent in Gaza City,' he warned. 'Over 320,000 children are at risk.'
UN and World Food Programme have also reported famine-like conditions, especially in northern Gaza, citing rising child mortality and severe food shortages.
The poll's release coincided with protests in multiple cities denouncing what activists describe as the use of starvation as a weapon of war.
In Paris, demonstrators demanded an end to Israel's war and restrictions on aid. In Marrakesh, hundreds rallied in support of Gaza, accusing Israel of ethnic cleansing, and in the United States, Jewish-led groups such as Jewish Voice for Peace called for a full lifting of the blockade.
