The UN Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR) denounced the ‘repeated incidents’ of ‘senseless killings’ by Israel Defence Forces (IDF) at Gaza’s food distribution sites, in a statement released on Wednesday.
The OHCHR called for the IDF to immediately cease the use of lethal force against Palestinians in Gaza seeking food, detailing how numerous Palestinians have been shot and killed this past week while seeking food at distribution sites. On June 17, 51 Palestinians were killed while awaiting food, and 200 were injured. On June 16th, at least three Palestinians were killed, again waiting for aid. Repeated IDF shelling of vulnerable civilians has reportedly killed more than 400 Palestinians since May 27th, who were merely trying to access food or other humanitarian assistance. The office explained that as civil order has collapsed in the past 20 months, ‘Palestinians are increasingly facing the inhumane choice of dying from starvation or risking being killed while trying to access the little food that is available.’
The OHCHR reiterated that it is a war crime under international law for Israel to weaponise ‘civilians’ food and the restriction or prevention of access to other life sustaining services’ as a war tactic. Under international law, the office said that Israel has the duty to provide food and medical aid to the occupied civilian population as needed, which they have repeatedly failed to do. In accordance with the prior finding of the UN that the attack on Palestinians constitutes genocideunder the UN’s Genocide ConventionIsrael is legally required to take all measures to ensure, without delay, the unhindered provision of aid to Gaza. In not only failing to provide aid, but in actively harming civilians innocently seeking it, the office claimed Israel is flagrantly violating its obligations under international law.
In a separate statement, the UN World Food Program (WFP) stated that ‘only a massive scale-up in food distributions can stabilize the situation,calm anxieties and rebuild the trust within communities that more food is coming,’ and that ‘any violence [by the Israeli state] resulting in starving people being killed or injured while seeking life-saving assistance is completely unacceptable.’ Due to Israel’s blockade on humanitarian assistance, the WFP has only been able to distribute ‘9,000 metric tons of food aid inside Gaza – a tiny fraction of what a population of 2.1 million hungry people needs.’ The WFP called on Israel to allow them to ‘safely do their jobs’ in orderto help Palestinians.
Israel’s recent capture and deportation of the crew of the Mased humanitarian aid ship, including environmental activist Greta Thunberg, has brought more attention to the aid blockade in Israel. Türkiye, Iran, France, the UK, Brazil, and several international humanitarian organizationscondemnedthe act as a violation of international law. Rights advocates claim the capture of the Mased is symptomatic of the vastness of human rights violations in Israel carried out against Palestinians on a daily basis.
