Gaza subjected to forced starvation, top UN official tells BBC
The UN's humanitarian chief has said people in Gaza are being subjected to forced starvation by Israel.
In an interview with the BBC, Tom Fletcher said he believed this had led to a change in the international response to Gaza.
Asked if his assessment of forced starvation amounted to a war crime, he said: "Yeah, it is. 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."
Mr Fletcher also expressed regret for saying recently that 14,000 babies could die within 48 hours in Gaza if aid was not allowed in - a claim the UN later drew back - and acknowledged a need to be "precise" with language.
Israel began to allow limited aid into Gaza last week, after an almost three-month blockade had halted the delivery of supplies such as food, medicine, fuel and shelter.
It also resumed its military offensive two weeks after imposing the blockade, ending a two-month ceasefire with Hamas.
Israel said the steps were intended to put pressure on the armed group to release the 58 hostages still held in Gaza, at least 20 of whom are believed to be alive.
Since the easing of the blockade, scenes of chaos have broken out at aid distribution centres run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation - a US- and Israeli-backed group.
The UN, which refuses to cooperate with the GHF, said 47 people were injured earlier this week after crowds overwhelmed one of the centres.
Mr 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."
He said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should "absolutely" disavow a statement made by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich - who had said people in Gaza would be "totally despairing understanding that there's no hope and nothing to look for", and would be looking to relocate to begin a "new life in other places".
"We would expect governments all over the world to stand for international humanitarian law, the international community is very, very clear on that," Mr Fletcher said.
He called on Netanyahu to ensure that "this language, and ultimately, this policy... of forced displacement, isn't enacted".
Israel has faced growing international criticism over its conduct of the war.
On Tuesday, the EU's top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, said: "Israeli strikes in Gaza go beyond what is necessary to fight Hamas."
Her remarks followed an intervention by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who declared he "no longer understands" Israel's objectives.
Earlier this month, the leaders of the UK, and Canada called on the Israeli government to "stop its military operations" and "immediately allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza". In response, Netanyahu accused them of siding with Hamas.
On 14 May, Mr Fletcher called on the UN Security Council to act to prevent genocide in Gaza.
Asked why he had made that statement, he referred to reporting from colleagues on the ground in Gaza.
"What they're reporting is forced displacement. They're reporting starvation, they're reporting torture, and they're reporting deaths on a massive scale," he said.
Mr Fletcher said in the cases of Rwanda, Srebrenica and Sri Lanka, "the world had told us afterwards that we didn't act in time, that we didn't sound a warning".
"And that's my call to the [UN] Security Council and the world right now, 'will you act to prevent genocide":[]}