Demonstrations Spread Across West Bank in Opposition to Gaza Conflict
The Gaza Strip is facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, with a severe hunger crisis unfolding and malnutrition rates skyrocketing. According to UN-backed experts, a famine is unfolding in the region, with one in three people going without food for days at a time.
The crisis has been exacerbated by nearly two years of conflict triggered by Hamas-led attacks in October 2023, resulting in thousands of deaths and the destruction of approximately 70% of Gaza’s infrastructure. Displacement is widespread, with safe areas reduced to less than 12% of the territory.
In response to the crisis, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have announced some measures to facilitate humanitarian aid, including tactical pauses, daily airdrops, power reconnection to a desalination plant, and lifting customs barriers on certain goods from Egypt. However, these steps have not fully alleviated the crisis, as vast amounts of aid are urgently needed, and restrictions on UN convoy movements pose obstacles.
The situation has led to violent incidents involving Palestinians seeking aid, with over 1,300 people killed between 27 May and 31 July near food convoy routes or at aid distribution points managed outside the UN system. These attacks have raised serious concerns from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, suggesting that intentionally using starvation as a method of warfare may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Thousands of Palestinians took to the streets in major West Bank cities on Sunday to protest against the war in Gaza and in support of Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. Protests were held in cities such as Nablus in the north and Hebron in the south, with protesters carrying photos of Palestinians killed or imprisoned by Israel. Hundreds gathered at the main square in Ramallah, waving Palestinian flags and calling for an end to the crisis.
Rula Ghanem, a Palestinian academic and writer, participated in the march in Ramallah. "We hope that our stand today will have an impact in supporting our people in Gaza and the hungry children in Gaza," she said. Many government employees received a day off to attend the demonstrations against the war in Gaza.
However, UN agencies, humanitarian groups, and analysts say much of the trickle of food aid that Israel allows into Gaza is looted or diverted, compounding the crisis. Israel has heavily restricted the entry of aid into Gaza, which has been under blockade for 15 years.
The Palestinian Commission of Detainees' and Ex-Detainees' Affairs reports a surge in the number of Palestinians jailed by Israel. Details on the scale or nature of protests and specifics of Israeli detentions were not elaborated in the available sources. The focus remains primarily on the humanitarian emergency and the need for political solutions to address it.
References:
[1] UN OCHA, Gaza: Over 5,000 children under five admitted for malnutrition treatment in just two weeks of July, https://www.ochaopt.org/content/gaza-over-5000-children-under-five-admitted-malnutrition-treatment-just-two-weeks-july
[2] AP News, Gaza on brink of famine as malnutrition soars, https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-gaza-strip-israel-united-nations-health-and-fitness-324e1a97f40b8d5c568a910a3342d215
[3] Al Jazeera, Gaza crisis: Israel denies UN allegations of war crimes, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/1/gaza-crisis-israel-denies-un-allegations-of-war-crimes
[4] Middle East Eye, Gaza crisis: Security Council meets to discuss hostage crisis, https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/gaza-crisis-security-council-meets-discuss-hostage-crisis
- Food aid intended for the people of Gaza is reportedly being looted or diverted, further exacerbating the severe hunger crisis and malnutrition rates.
- The ongoing crisis in Gaza, marked by violence, displacement, and political tensions, has escalated to include allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity, with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights suggesting the intentional usage of starvation as a method of warfare.
- The situation in Gaza has resulted in extensive general news coverage, including war-and-conflicts, crime-and-justice, politics, and general-news, urging the international community to address the unfolding humanitarian emergency and pursue political solutions.
