The EU has accused Israel of using starvation as a “war arm” in Gaza. EU’s chief diplomat, Josep Borrell told the UN Security Council on Wednesday that the food crisis was “manmade” and that different standards could not be applied to what was happening in Gaza and Ukraine.
“Starvation is being used as a war arm,” he said, adding that “when we condemn this happening in Ukraine, we have to use the same words of what’s happening in Gaza,” he said according to a BBC report.
Borrell’s language is being seen as one of the strongest condemnatory words by the EU against Israel so far.
Commenting on the nature of aid being provided, the EU foreign policy chief also pointed out that providing aid drops by plane or by sea was not adequate, and the natural way to do it was by land. Israel has so far restricted entry points for aid into Gaza charging the UN with diverting the aid to Hamas.
“When we look for alternative ways of providing support, by sea or by air, we have to remind that we have to do it because the natural way of providing support through roads is being closed, artificially closed,” Borrell said.
According to the WHO, an estimated 300,000 people are believed to be starving in Gaza. In a strongly worded post on X on March 9, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus wrote: “When is enough enough? A full 5 months of hellish conditions in #Gaza: Almost 31,000 people have lost their lives, 72,000+ have been injured, thousands are missing 406 attacks on health care 118 health workers are in detention 1 in 3 hospitals is only partially or minimally functional Disease outbreaks on the rise Humanitarian access limited Starvation.”
The WHO chief stated that the ongoing Gaza conflict had been especially hard on children. Writing on X on March 4, he said. “Kamal Adwan Hospital is the only paediatrics hospital in the north of Gaza and is overwhelmed with patients. The lack of food resulted in the deaths of 10 children. The lack of electricity poses a serious threat to patient care, especially in critical areas like the intensive care unit and the neonatal unit.”
Israel has come under increasing condemnation for its ongoing actions in Gaza with reported rifts between President Biden and Prime Minister Netanyahu having developed over the issue.
South Africa also took Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in February, alleging, according to the ICJ application, that Israel had committed genocide in the Gaza Strip.
