“Starve Gaza” is not an Option
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“Starve Gaza” is not an Option
by Grace Ji-Sun Kim | Aug 9, 2024 | Feature-, Opinion
As the world united for the Olympics, we witnessed grand celebrations, remarkable victories, surprising upsets and roaring cheers from fans and families. The world watched with eager anticipation and awe as athletes broke records and strived for gold.
However, amidst this worldwide celebration, grim news emerged from around the world. We heard suggestions from Israel’s Minister of Finance, Bezalel Smotrich, that Israel should starve Gaza, and this would be “justified.” Such a notion is unimaginable, dystopian, horrifying and deeply unwarranted.
Smotrich further stated, “Nobody will let us cause two million civilians to die of hunger even though it might be justified and moral until our hostages are returned.” It is inconceivable that anyone could deem it morally justifiable to starve another human being.
Every person’s survival hinges on access to food, water and fundamental human rights. Even domestic prisoners and prisoners of war are entitled to adequate nutrition in captivity.
Across cultures, food is more than sustenance; it is a means of celebrating life, family, and heritage. For Koreans, food is a way of life.
It embodies the essentiality of love and connection through nurture. Parents show their love for their children not through words but through food— often cooking and buying their children’s favorite foods in place of verbal affection.
Typically, Koreans greet one another by asking if the other person has eaten, emphasizing the importance of sharing meals to nourish relationships. Many Korean churches always serve a meal after worship, as eating together is an important part of the fellowship and necessary to grow and nurture relationships.
The Bible often describes heaven as a banquet, symbolizing joy, abundance, and communal celebration. In the New Testament, heaven is depicted as a place of laughter, food, and merriment.
In Scripture, food is essential to life. During the Last Supper, Jesus broke bread and said, “Take eat; this is my body broken for you, do this in remembrance of me.”
The very essence of nourishment, through bread, is associated with the grace of Jesus. Born in Bethlehem, which means “house of Bread,” Jesus’s body becomes the bread of life for us.
The idea of starving another person contradicts the gospel message.
Once, when Jesus was speaking to a large crowd, the disciples told Jesus to send the people away before it got too dark and they got hungry. Jesus responded to the disciples, “They do not need to go; you give them something to eat” (Matthew 14:16).
Jesus cares for the crowd and asks his disciples to find food for them. This turns into a miracle story of five loaves and two fishes.
Smotrich’s notion of starving Gaza is both inhumane and inconceivable. How can we allow a child or any human being to go hungry?
Gaza’s population is nearly half children, whom we must protect, not starve. The U.N. reported in July that child malnutrition in Gaza is nearly 50% due to Israel’s ongoing bombings and total blockade.
In the Old Testament, when the Israelites were hungry, they cried out to God and God gave them manna from the heavens. We worship a God of compassion, mercy, and love. We are to reflect the image of God and show the same compassion to one another and strangers.
As the devastating attacks continue in Gaza, we must show compassion and call for a ceasefire. Along with a ceasefire, we must ensure food reaches Gaza so its people can live and not perish.
We cannot stand by and allow starvation to unfold before our eyes. Our calls for peace must persist and we must act to prevent further suffering.
Grace Ji-Sun Kim (Ph.D. University of St. Michael’s College) was born in Korea, educated in Canada and now teaches in the USA as Professor of Theology at Earlham School of Religion, Richmond, Indiana. She is the author or editor of 24 books, most recently, When God Became White, Suffering God, Invisible, and Spirit Life.
Kim is the host of Madang podcast which is sponsored by the Christian Century. She blogs on her substack: Loving Life: Loving Life and has written for Huffington Post, The Nation, Sojourners, Baptist News Global, Faith and Leadership and TIME. Kim has appeared on MSNBC, PBS and C-Span. She has been a guest on BBC Radio, Soul Search Radio, WBEZ Radio, and Keep Hope Alive Radio. She is an ordained PC(USA) minister and enjoys being a guest preacher on most Sundays.
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