Manipulative behavior known as gaslighting is not aligned with the moral and ethical values inherent in Judaism.
In the midst of ongoing tension between Israel and Gaza, an open letter signed by over 400 Jewish clergy from around the world has called on the Israeli government to end what they describe as "the callous indifference to starvation" in Gaza. However, this call has been met with criticism, with some accusing these religious leaders of repeating false claims.
The letter's signatories claim that Israel is using starvation as a weapon of war against Gaza. Yet, evidence suggests otherwise. Israel has allowed tens of millions of tons of food into Gaza since the conflict began, and there is no evidence of widespread starvation.
The background of this tension is a dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with widespread hunger and malnutrition following a full blockade imposed by Israel in March 2025. Critics and many Jewish leaders view this blockade as causing mass starvation and thus consider Israel responsible for the humanitarian disaster.
However, Israeli officials deny deliberately using starvation as a policy. Israeli military sources assert there is no evidence supporting claims that starvation is a weapon of war. Some humanitarian groups report that aid is being blocked or limited, but also highlight complexities, such as security concerns and the chaotic conditions at aid distribution centers.
The ongoing trauma and suffering caused by the conflict will make this weekend's fast of Tisha B'Av, a commemoration of the destruction of the Jewish Temples in Jerusalem and the long exile of the Jews from their homeland, an even more painful occasion than normal. Yet, the deeply distressing images of skeletal children from Gaza, which have been widely published by media outlets, have been found to be fraudulent.
The accusations by some Jewish leaders reflect a moral and humanitarian perspective focusing on the human impact of Israel’s blockade and military actions, while Israeli officials contend that these accusations overlook the security context and deny any official strategy to starve Gaza. This divide contributes to the controversy and differing narratives about whether such claims are false or an accurate reflection of the humanitarian crisis.
The letter urges the Israeli government to permit the entry of "extensive humanitarian aid into Gaza under international supervision, while guarding against control or theft by Hamas." Yet, international supervision, under the aegis of the United Nations, has enabled Hamas to steal aid either for their own use or to sell it on the black market.
As the conflict continues, the relentless bombardment of words and images denoting intolerable suffering in Gaza has been overwhelming, striking the deepest chords of humanity. Yet, it is crucial to separate fact from fiction and to understand the complexities of the situation. Tradition teaches that the destruction of Jerusalem was caused at root by Jewish disunity. Worse than disunity is Jews siding with their mortal foes. Worse still are Jews who do so while claiming that they alone represent Jewish moral codes.
- The controversies surrounding the war-and-conflicts between Israel and Gaza extend to the political realm, with Jewish clergy accusing Israel of using starvation as a weapon, while Israeli officials deny this claim, citing General-news about the significant amounts of food allowed into Gaza.
- In the midst of crime-and-justice debates, humanitarian groups have accused Hamas of stealing aid sanctioned for Gaza, undermining the call for extensive humanitarian aid supervised by the United Nations.
