First, this absolutely damning indictment of Israel and Zionist Jews by Miriam.
Then Bob.
Renowned humanitarian and Live Aid organiser Bob Geldof has condemned the Israeli government, accusing it of spreading falsehoods about the famine gripping Gaza. During an appearance on Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, Geldof sharply rejected Israeli claims that Hamas is solely responsible for the hunger crisis, calling them “lies”.
The controversy erupted after David Mencer, a spokesperson for the Israeli government, told The News Hour with Mark Austin that “Hamas starves its own people” and insisted there was “no famine caused by Israel”. He went on to claim that over 4,400 aid trucks had entered Gaza since May and that “millions of meals” were being delivered through the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
However, these claims stand in stark contrast to warnings from international aid agencies. Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) reported that 25% of young children and pregnant women in Gaza are now malnourished and called Israel’s use of starvation as a weapon “unprecedented”. The group revealed a tripling of severe malnutrition cases in children under five within just two weeks.
When asked about Israel’s assertion that Hamas is responsible for the crisis, Geldof replied, “That’s a false equivalence. The Israeli authorities are lying. Netanyahu lies. The IDF is lying.”
He went on to describe the alleged tactics being used by Israeli forces: “They’re dangling food in front of starving, panicked, exhausted mothers… then they’re shot wantonly. This month alone, up to now, a thousand children or a thousand people have died of starvation.”
Despite Israel’s denial, multiple reports have highlighted systematic obstacles to aid delivery, including bombing of aid convoys, delays at border crossings, and the killing of civilians at distribution points. A former Israeli guard told Sky News that security forces had indeed fired at Palestinians seeking aid, while a British surgeon working in Gaza accused the IDF of “deliberately” shooting boys near aid centres.
The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) acknowledged that such incidents had occurred, stating that they are “under review” and that instructions have been reissued to troops.
Not the First Deception
This is not the first time Israeli authorities have been accused of spreading disinformation. A pattern has emerged of official denials being contradicted by independent investigations, human rights reports, and journalistic evidence. Here are several examples:
1. The Al-Ahli Hospital Blast
In October 2023, an explosion at Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza killed hundreds. Israel quickly denied responsibility, blaming a misfired Palestinian rocket. However, investigations by The New York Times, Channel 4 News, and forensic analysts cast doubt on that narrative, with many experts pointing to the scale of the explosion and lack of crater as inconsistent with typical rocket failures.
2. Killing of Shireen Abu Akleh
Veteran Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was shot dead in May 2022 while reporting in Jenin. Israeli authorities initially blamed Palestinian militants. Yet multiple independent investigations, including one by the UN and another by CNN, concluded she was killed by an Israeli sniper, likely deliberately. Israel later admitted IDF troops “may have” fired the fatal shot.
3. White Phosphorus Use
Israel has consistently denied using white phosphorus in civilian areas. However, in both the 2008–2009 Gaza war and in more recent operations, organisations such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International documented its use in densely populated neighbourhoods, causing severe burns and long-term suffering.
4. Targeting of Journalists
Israel routinely claims it does not deliberately target journalists. But since the war began, numerous journalists have been killed while clearly identifiable as press, often in non-combat areas. In one high-profile instance, the IDF bombed the building housing Al Jazeera and Associated Press offices, claiming Hamas operated within. No evidence was ever provided.
5. Denial of Occupation
Israeli leaders frequently assert that Gaza is no longer occupied. Yet the UN and International Criminal Court maintain that Israel remains the occupying power under international law, due to its control of Gaza’s borders, airspace, and access to essential goods.
A Humanitarian Disaster Unfolding
Back in Gaza, conditions continue to worsen. The United Nations has called recent aid airdrops a “smokescreen” and a “distraction”, warning that they are inadequate to address the full scale of the humanitarian crisis. Aid workers on the ground have described the situation as “catastrophic”, with babies dying from dehydration and entire families surviving on animal feed or leaves.
Meanwhile, Israel blames the UN and other international organisations for “failing to collect” aid at border crossings; a claim dismissed by NGOs who cite near-impossible security conditions and frequent Israeli airstrikes near aid routes.
As Geldof said during the interview: “I’m really not interested in what either of these sides are saying. I’m interested in what is happening to the people. And what is happening is atrocity.”
