‘Humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza is one of the most severe in recent history,’ rabbis say in statement
A coalition of more than 80 international Orthodox rabbis issued a statement that urged Israel to address starvation in the Gaza Strip and condemn settler violence.
Former International Director of American Jewish Committee David Rosen shared on a joint statement Tuesday, “A Call for Moral Clarity, Responsibility, and a Jewish Orthodox Response in the Face of the Gaza Humanitarian Crisis,” on social media, that demanded Israel confront the widespread starvation in Gaza and denounce extremist settler violence.
“The humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza is one of the most severe in recent history,” the rabbis wrote in the statement, underlining that Hamas attacks do “not absolve Israel’s government from assuming its share of the responsibility for the profound suffering of Gaza’s civilian population.”
They noted that Israel’s “prolonged military campaign” has devastated Gaza and they urged the government in Tel Aviv to prevent the mass starvation.
“Amid this devastation, the absence of a clear post-war vision from Prime Minister (Benjamin) Netanyahu has allowed the most extreme voices in the Israeli government—including ministers from the religious Zionist community—to fill the vacuum with disturbing proposals,” they noted, stressing that the forced “voluntary” exile of Palestinians from Gaza was one of the proposals.
They said the future of Israel depends on its “moral clarity,” calling for justice, righteousness and peace for all.
Israel has killed more than 62,100 Palestinians in Gaza since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave, which is facing famine.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave. — AA
