GENEVA, June 24 — The United Nations human rights office said today that the “weaponisation” of food for civilians in Gaza, Palestine, constitutes a war crime, in its strongest remarks yet on a new model of aid distribution run by an Israel-backed organisation.
Over 410 Palestinians have been killed by gunshots or shells fired by the Israel military while trying to reach distribution sites of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation since it began work in late May, UN human rights spokesman Thameen Al-Kheetan told reporters at a Geneva press briefing.
The death toll came from Palestinian health authorities and other sources, including non-governmental organisations, and is in the process of being verified by his office, he added.
“Desperate, hungry people in Gaza continue to face the inhumane choice of either starving to death or risk being killed while trying to get food,” Thameen said, describing the system as “Israel’s militarised humanitarian assistance mechanism”.
“The weaponisation of food for civilians, in addition to restricting or preventing their access to life-sustaining services, constitutes a war crime and, under certain circumstances, may constitute elements of other crimes under international law.”
Asked whether Israel is guilty of that war crime, he said: “The legal qualification needs to be made by a court of law.”
Israel rejects war crimes charges in Palestine’s Gaza and blames Hamas fighters for harm to civilians for operating among them, which the fighters deny.
— Reuters
