A new study is disputing the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) claims that Israel is causing starvation in Gaza, highlighting Hamas’s control over aid distribution.

The Israeli government recently stopped all goods from entering Gaza after Hamas refused to extend the ceasefire and release the remaining hostages. This decision followed criticism from U.N. relief chief Tom Fletcher, who called it “alarming,” but received support from the Trump administration.

Jonathan Conricus, a former IDF spokesperson and current senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, refuted starvation claims, stating that Hamas hoards supplies while Israel ensures aid delivery. He told Digital that “Over 25,200 trucks arrived during the ceasefire – enough for four months. If there’s hunger, it’s because of Hamas corruption, not a lack of food.”

The study, conducted by Israeli public health experts using data from COGAT, challenges claims of famine or intentional deprivation.

Titled “Food supplied to Gaza during seven months of the Hamas-Israel war,” the study was led by nutrition and public health experts Aron Troen and Ronit Endevelt, along with researchers from various Israeli universities and the Ministry of Health. It analyzed food shipments into Gaza between January and July 2024.

Using international food databases and humanitarian standards, the researchers assessed calorie intake, nutritional value, and aid efforts, providing an objective analysis of food supplies delivered to Gaza during the war’s first seven months.

The research evaluated food processed through COGAT, categorizing each item by energy content, protein, fat, and micronutrient composition. The total nutritional supply per capita was then compared against international benchmarks.

Professor Ronit Endevelt stated, “We didn’t enter politics. We just wanted to know if, from a nutritional perspective, the food was sufficient. We double-checked our data multiple times to avoid exaggeration.”

Between January and April 2024, 14,916 trucks carrying 227,854 tons of food entered Gaza, averaging 124 trucks daily. The study found a daily per capita caloric supply of 3,374 kcal, with 101 grams of protein and 80.6 grams of fat, meeting or exceeding international standards.

Professor Troen told Digital that “In March 2024, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) warned of imminent famine in Gaza. Within days, cautious technical language gave way to media headlines and political statements claiming mass starvation was already underway.”

He added, “One of the most persistent falsehoods has been the claim that before the war, 500 or more humanitarian trucks entered Gaza daily, and that this number was necessary to meet the population’s needs. In reality, the number of food trucks was around or fewer than 100 per day before the war, and has since increased substantially. Our study aimed to address that gap by analyzing verified food shipments. The numbers show that while there were variations, at no point did the food supply drop to starvation levels.”

When asked about testimonies from Gazans struggling to find food, Endevelt acknowledged the study didn’t track final distribution. “We can’t say there was no hunger, but we can confirm enough food entered. Most of the time, in most months, there was enough food available.”

A key finding was the distinction between food supply and distribution. “Hamas systematically weaponized food distribution, using it as a tool of control,” Endevelt said. “Aid often didn’t reach those in need because Hamas seized supplies, sold them on the black market, or prioritized its own fighters. Reports of famine are not due to a lack of aid but Hamas’ deliberate strategy of restricting access to maintain power and profit.”

Despite these findings, the ICC investigation and global criticism continued. “IPC reports, widely cited as evidence against Israel, failed to mention Hamas’ role in manipulating aid,” Troen said.

The ICC Office of the Prosecutor, when asked about the new findings, stated: “The ICC Office of the Prosecutor has a current and ongoing investigation in relation to the Situation in the State of Palestine. The Office’s investigations are built from a wide range of sources. They can encompass Article 15 communications, information from states, international partners, and civil society, publicly available sources of information, and the direct collection of evidence by the Office, including interviews with witnesses.”

“The Office is unable to provide further information with respect to details of its investigative activities in response to your request at this stage. Confidentiality is a crucial part of our work and is essential to protect the integrity of the investigations and to ensure the safety and security of victims, witnesses, and all those with whom the Office interacts.”

The U.N. spokesman referred Digital to the IPC, which requested more time to respond but ultimately provided no response.

Publishing the study was challenging. “Given the in parts of the scientific community, we opted to submit to the Israeli Journal of Health Policy Research, a peer-reviewed journal under Springer Nature,” Troen said. “We wanted the data available quickly to improve humanitarian efforts. However, the political climate made the review process unusually intense.”

“This was one of the most rigorously reviewed studies I’ve ever worked on,” Endevelt added. “We had five reviewers, far more than usual, and months of back-and-forth revisions to ensure absolute accuracy.”

The research team, including experts from multiple universities, conducted the study with a commitment to scientific rigor. The paper underscores the importance of transparent data in evaluating humanitarian crises.

“One thing is clear: given the amount of food entering Gaza and ongoing reports of hunger, distribution must be improved,” Troen concluded. “Effective cooperation between U.N. agencies, COGAT, and Palestinian civil society, without Hamas’ interference, is crucial to ensuring aid reaches those who need it most.”