UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) has released a report disputing claims of famine in Gaza, asserting that methodological errors and misrepresented data have exaggerated the crisis. The statement was published on the UKLFI website on February 16.
According to the Jewish Press, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on November 21, 2024. The ICC alleges that these leaders used starvation as a method of warfare in Gaza, accusing them of intentionally depriving Gaza's civilian population of essential resources such as food, water, and medicine. These actions are said to constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity, resulting in significant civilian suffering during the Gaza conflict.
The UKLFI Charitable Trust's report challenges the famine allegations cited by the ICC. It states that alarming projections of famine in Gaza were based on significant errors, methodological flaws, and misrepresentations. The report argues there was no famine in Gaza as defined by Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) standards since October 2023, with acute malnutrition levels only marginally higher than pre-war figures. This contradicts the basis for the ICC's charges against Israeli officials.
On March 18, 2024, UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned of an imminent famine in northern Gaza, stating that 1.1 million people were facing catastrophic hunger—the highest number ever recorded. He described the situation as an entirely man-made disaster that could and must be halted.
The UKLFI report further asserts that IPC and Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) reports from March 2024 projected an imminent famine in North Gaza based on incomplete and inaccurate information. Significant sources of food and water supply were overlooked, leading to exaggerated claims of a tenfold increase in acute malnutrition since the start of the war.
UK Lawyers for Israel is a British non-profit organization established in 2011. It is dedicated to legally defending Israel's interests and supporting Jewish communities. The organization actively combats antisemitism and opposes campaigns promoting boycotts, divestments, and sanctions (BDS) against Israel. UKLFI engages in legal actions against entities participating in such boycotts and monitors institutions and individuals for discriminatory actions against Israel or support for terrorism.