KABUL: Volker Turk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, has stated that denying civilians in Gaza access to food could be considered a “war crime” and even a “crime against humanity.”
Turk made the remarks on Monday night in response to the famine conditions in Gaza, emphasizing that the hunger experienced by residents of Gaza is “an affront to the collective humanity” of all.
He added that the images of starving civilians in Gaza are “heart-wrenching” and “unacceptable.” Turk stated, “The images of starving people in Gaza are heartbreaking and intolerable. The fact that we have reached this stage is an insult to the collective conscience of humanity.”
The UN official expressed “regret” over the starvation of civilians in Gaza, noting that depriving them of access to food may constitute a war crime and possibly even a crime against humanity.
This comes amid intensified hunger conditions imposed by Israel in Gaza, with attacks by the regime over the past two years resulting in the deaths of over 60,000 Palestinians, particularly women and children.