UN says Israel may be using starvation as ‘weapon of war’

The Open Arms maritime vessel that set sail from Larnaca in Cyprus carrying humanitarian aid approaches the coast of Gaza City on March 15, 2024. (Photo by AFP)

The UN warned on Tuesday that Israel’s severe restrictions on aid into conflict-torn Gaza, coupled with its continuous hostilities, could signify the use of starvation as a ‘weapon of war’.

“The extent of Israel’s continued restrictions on entry of aid into Gaza, together with the manner in which he continues to conduct hostilities may amount to the use of starvation as a method of war, which is a war crime,” UN rights office spokesman Jeremy Laurence told reporters in Geneva, adding that the final determination of whether “starvation is being used as a weapon of war” would be determined by a court of law.