‘Modern blood libel’: Netanyahu rejects UN Gaza famine declaration as ‘outright lie’

Netanyahu Calls Gaza Famine Declaration

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has firmly rejected the United Nations’ declaration of famine in Gaza, labelling it as “an outright lie” and denouncing the report as a “modern blood libel” against Israel.

In a series of posts shared by his office on X, Netanyahu accused the UN and its affiliated agencies of spreading misinformation and exhibiting double standards in their treatment of Israel.

The term "blood libel" historically refers to false accusations that Jews murdered Christians to use their blood for religious rituals, a myth propagated from the Middle Ages into the early 20th century.

The UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), a global standard for assessing food insecurity, stated in a recent report that around 500,000 people in Gaza are experiencing famine conditions.

The IPC projected that by the end of September, over 640,000 individuals will be facing “catastrophic” levels of food insecurity, classified as IPC Phase 5.

Famine declared in Gaza 

The United Nations officially declared a famine in Gaza on Friday, attributing the crisis largely to what it described as Israel’s systematic obstruction of humanitarian aid during the ongoing conflict.

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), a UN-supported body based in Rome, reported that famine currently affects around 500,000 people in the Gaza governorate, approximately one-fifth of the region’s total population.

The IPC cautioned that, by the end of September, famine conditions could expand to include Deir el-Balah and Khan Yunis, potentially endangering two-thirds of Gaza's population. It characterized the crisis as “catastrophic,” involving “starvation, destitution and death.”

At the same time, Israel’s military offensive continued across the Gaza Strip. Intense bombardments were reported, as Defence Minister Israel Katz threatened the destruction of Gaza City unless Hamas agrees to surrender its weapons and release hostages.