A top United Nations official has stated that using starvation and collective punishment against civilians in conflict zones amounts to war crimes.
Volker Turk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, delivered this message in a statement issued on Tuesday, warning that such actions must end immediately to prevent deeper humanitarian disaster.
According to Turk, the UN Human Rights Office has documented hundreds of attacks on civilian infrastructure in Gaza. These include at least 259 strikes on residential buildings and 99 targeting tents sheltering displaced people. He stressed that targeting civilians not involved in fighting directly violates international law and qualifies as a war crime.
The ongoing military operations in Gaza by Israeli forces have raised alarms at the UN, with officials warning that the living conditions imposed on Palestinians are becoming increasingly unlivable. The concern is that this pattern of conduct could meet the threshold of genocide, as it appears to threaten the very survival of Palestinians in the region.
Turk urged the global community to take urgent action to prevent the crisis in Gaza from worsening further. He reminded countries around the world that they have legal duties to step in when international humanitarian law is being violated. He emphasized that all states must act to ensure the protection of civilian lives and to stop practices that breach the rules of war.
As the situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, calls for accountability and international pressure are growing. The UN’s warning adds to the global spotlight on actions that may constitute serious violations of international law.