UN condemns "weaponization" of food in Gaza as war crime

The United Nations human rights office has issued its strongest condemnation yet of what it described as the "weaponization" of food in Gaza, declaring such actions to constitute a war crime.

The statement follows mounting concern over a controversial aid distribution model in the besieged territory, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Speaking at a press briefing in Geneva, UN human rights spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan said that more than 410 people have been killed by Israeli gunfire or shelling while attempting to access aid through the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation—a distribution mechanism backed by Israeli authorities and operational since late May.

Al-Kheetan confirmed that the death toll has been independently verified by the UN human rights office.

“Desperate, hungry people in Gaza continue to face the inhumane choice of either starving to death or risk being killed while trying to get food,” he said. He described the current distribution framework as “Israel's militarized humanitarian assistance mechanism.”

He went on to stress the legal gravity of the situation: “The weaponization of food for civilians, in addition to restricting or preventing their access to life-sustaining services, constitutes a war crime and, under certain circumstances, may constitute elements of other crimes under international law.”

When asked directly whether Israel was guilty of committing war crimes, Al-Kheetan clarified, “The legal qualification needs to be made by a court of law.”

The Israeli government has consistently rejected accusations of war crimes in Gaza, instead placing blame on Hamas for the suffering of civilians. Israeli officials argue that the militant group uses civilian populations as human shields, an allegation that Hamas denies.

By Vafa Guliyeva