Published: June 24, 2025, 05:02 PM
The United Nations has strongly condemned what it describes as Israel’s “weaponisation of food” in Gaza, calling the practice a war crime. In a sharply worded statement released ahead of a press briefing on Tuesday, the UN urged the Israeli military to cease firing on Palestinians attempting to access food.
“Israel`s militarised humanitarian assistance mechanism contradicts international norms for aid distribution,” the UN human rights office said. It emphasized the dire situation facing civilians: “Desperate, hungry people in Gaza continue to face the inhumane choice of either starving to death or risking being killed while trying to get food.”
The humanitarian crisis worsened after Israel halted all supplies into Gaza for more than two months. Although the US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) began distributing food on May 26, the initiative has come under intense scrutiny. The UN and major aid organizations have refused to work with GHF, criticizing its lack of transparency and alleging it aligns more with Israeli military goals than humanitarian needs.
UN human rights spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan described “chaotic scenes” around GHF’s food distribution sites, noting that Israeli forces have opened fire on civilians approaching these areas. “More than 410 Palestinians have been killed while attempting to reach these distribution points,” he stated. “At least 93 others were reportedly killed while trying to access aid from UN and other humanitarian convoys, and over 3,000 have been injured.”
Al-Kheetan called for thorough and impartial investigations into each of these incidents, stressing accountability for those responsible. He further warned that the use of starvation and denial of humanitarian access could meet the legal definition of war crimes and potentially other violations under international law.
“The Israeli military must stop shooting at people trying to get food,” he declared. The UN also demanded that Israel immediately lift unlawful restrictions on humanitarian operations and allow the free flow of essential aid into Gaza.
In a broader appeal, the UN called on the international community to act decisively. “Other states must take concrete steps to ensure that Israel, as the occupying power, meets its legal obligations to provide sufficient food and lifesaving essentials to Gaza’s population,” Al-Kheetan concluded.
