Hundreds of rabbis around the world have signed a letter calling on Israel to stop using hunger as a “weapon of war,” to bring the hostages home, and to end the fighting in Gaza.
The letter, published on Friday and containing the names of several leading rabbis from various denominations, states that the “Jewish people are facing a severe moral crisis.”
The text states that the signatories are “deeply committed to the well-being of Israel and the Jewish people,” but “cannot remain silent” in the face of the rising number of deaths in Gaza and increasing malnutrition.
The letter was published at a time when global concern is growing over the increasing number of reports about hunger and food shortages in the war-ravaged enclave. It is one of the most prominent examples of Jewish and pro-Israel leaders publicly supporting these concerns and calling on Israel to address them.
The signatories also said they “unequivocally support” Israel’s fight against Hamas and Hezbollah and understand the Israel Defence Forces’ (IDF) policy of protecting the lives of its soldiers, but that they cannot tolerate the mass killing of civilians, including a large number of women, children, and the elderly.
“Severe restrictions on humanitarian aid in Gaza and the policy of denying food, water, and medical supplies to the civilian population in distress contradict the fundamental values of Judaism as we understand them,” they stated in the letter.
