Israel’s restrictions on humanitarian aid in Gaza are, first and foremost, a moral atrocity. Israeli policies since March, most notably the initial shutdown on aid entering the Strip, were very obviously going to cause a hunger crisis down the line. There can be no defense for intentionally starving children.

But strikingly, the policy has also become a strategic failure for Israel — one that bodes ominously for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s newly floated proposal to occupy the entire Gaza Strip.

Its aid limitations, intended to starve out Hamas, have actually strengthened the group’s position and handed it new leverage in ceasefire negotiations. International outrage over the past week has prompted important Israeli partners — France, the UK, and Canada — to announce support for r

See Full Page