GAZA: A senior United Nations official has accused Israel of subjecting civilians in Gaza to forced starvation, warning that the situation may amount to a war crime.
In an interview with the BBC, Tom Fletcher, the UN’s humanitarian chief, said denying food to a starving population cannot be justified. “It is classified as a war crime. Obviously, these are issues for the courts to take the judgement on, and ultimately for history to take a judgement on,” he said.
Israel imposed a near-total blockade on Gaza for nearly three months before allowing limited aid last week. Since then, chaotic scenes have unfolded at distribution centres run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a US- and Israeli-backed group not supported by the UN. The UN reported that 47 people were injured earlier this week during a scramble for aid at one such site.
Fletcher said: “We’re seeing food set on the borders and not being allowed in when there is a population on the other side of the border that is starving, and we’re hearing Israeli ministers say that is to put pressure on the population of Gaza.”
“We would expect governments all over the world to stand for international humanitarian law, the international community is very, very clear on that,” Fletcher added.
Meanwhile, a ceasefire proposal put forward by the Trump administration has been met with criticism by Hamas, who say the current terms would prolong Israeli aggression and famine in Gaza.
The plan, which the United States says Israel has accepted, remains under review by Hamas leadership. Hamas officials say it lacks core guarantees Palestinians demand: a permanent halt to Israeli military operations, full withdrawal of occupation forces, and unfettered humanitarian access.
“The deal does not meet any of our people’s demands, foremost among them, halting the war,” said Basem Naim, a Hamas political bureau member. “Nonetheless, the movement’s leadership is studying the response with full national responsibility.”
A response is expected by the end of the week amid ongoing tensions on the ground and diplomatic efforts.
According to a draft seen by Reuters, the ceasefire plan would last 60 days and include the release of 28 Israeli hostages, both alive and deceased, in exchange for 125 Palestinian prisoners and the remains of 180 Palestinians. The terms have not been publicly revealed.
Mediated by Egypt and Qatar, and reportedly guaranteed by former US President Donald Trump, the plan would allow international aid to flow into Gaza once Hamas signs the agreement.
However, senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri criticized the proposal for lacking Israeli commitment to end the war or lift the blockade, calling it “just another attempt to pressure the resistance while civilians in Gaza continue to suffer.”
Earlier this week, Hamas said it reached an initial understanding with Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, involving a framework for permanent ceasefire and neutral administration of post-war Gaza. Witkoff denied any such agreement had been reached and called Hamas’s version “completely unacceptable.” A US official described Hamas’s statement as “inaccurate and disappointing.”
Israeli officials also rejected Hamas’s account, with one unnamed source calling it “psychological warfare.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has signalled willingness to proceed with the US-backed proposal, according to reports shared with families of Israeli captives. Analysts suggest this may be a political move to blame Hamas if talks collapse.
“It’s not the first time Netanyahu has made a deal impossible to accept, then blamed Hamas for the failure,” Israeli analyst Akiva Eldar told Al Jazeera.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire. Since Israel resumed its military assault on March 18 after breaking ceasefire terms, more than 4,000 Palestinians have been killed, bringing total deaths to over 54,000, according to Palestinian health authorities.
The blockade has pushed many areas of Gaza to the brink of famine. Though Israel partially eased restrictions on May 19 to allow some aid, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the relief “a teaspoon of what is needed.”
This week, thousands of Palestinians crowded limited aid deliveries by the US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a controversial group criticized for lack of transparency and local coordination.
Gaza’s health ministry reported at least 3,785 deaths since the ceasefire collapsed on March 18, with the war’s total death toll at 53,939, mostly civilians, according to AFP.
Israel’s military campaign has displaced around 90% of Gaza’s estimated two million residents, caused severe hunger, and widespread destruction.
The Israeli army has pursued a brutal offensive against Gaza since October 2023, killing at least 61,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, according to Al Jazeera.
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.
