Israel's restrictions on Gaza aid may be war crime, says UN rights office

A BBC correspondent reports how Israel has been intentionally obstructing and blocking aid from entering Gaza by limiting the number of entry points into the besieged strip and disrupting the entry of aid. The UN, EU and the international community is blaming Israel for the man-made famine in Gaza and for using starvation as a weapon of war.

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Israel’s restrictions on humanitarian aid for Gaza may amount to a starvation tactic that could be a war crime, the United Nations human rights chief said today according to Reuters.

The stark appraisal followed a UN-backed report yesterday saying famine is likely by May without an end to fighting in the more than five-month bombing campaign on Gaza.

“The extent of Israel’s continued restrictions on entry of aid into Gaza, together with the manner in which it continues to conduct hostilities, may amount to the use of starvation as a method of war, which is a war crime,” said the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk.

While aid agencies blame Israel for blockading Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government says it is facilitating aid and the United Nations and relief groups are at fault for any issues over the quantity and pace of delivery.

READ: As famine looms in Gaza, children are getting weak and losing their ability to move

As the occupying power in Gaza, Israel is obligated to ensure the provision of food and medical care to the population and to facilitate the work of humanitarian organisations trying to deliver aid, Turk said in his statement.

Yesterday’s report by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) said malnutrition and food insecurity have probably exceeded famine levels in Gaza’s north, and hunger-linked death rates were likely to reach famine levels soon.

“The coping mechanisms we have seen the past weeks, even months, are people eating bird seeds, animal fodder, wild grass and weeds,” said Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN humanitarian office (OCHA).

“They have consumed that already. We are beyond that. There’s literally nothing left.”

Turk said the crisis was “human-made” and urged all states to put pressure on Israel to facilitate the delivery of aid into Gaza.

“There needs to be full restoration of essential services, including the supply of food, water, electricity and fuel,” Turk said.

READ: Gaza in state of ‘man-made famine’ by Israel: EU foreign policy chief

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