Israel used ‘calorie count’ to limit Gaza food during blockade, critics claim

The Guardian: “Israel says it never limited how many calories were available to Gaza, but critics claimed the document was proof the government limited food supplies to put pressure on Hamas. At the height of the blockade Israel also maintained a list of foods that were permitted and banned from Gaza…Israel said the blockade was necessary to weaken Hamas. But critics say the blockade constituted collective punishment against Gaza’s population of more than 1.5 million. A US diplomatic cable revealed by WikiLeaks last year quoted Israeli diplomats as saying they wanted to ‘keep Gaza’s economy on the brink of collapse’.”