The United Nations has expressed disapproval of Israel’s decision to halt the provision of food, water, electricity, and fuel to the Gaza Strip.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, stated in Geneva on Tuesday that it is against international humanitarian law to deny people the essentials required for their survival.
Türk emphasized, “The imposition of blockades that place civilians at risk by withholding essential goods necessary for their survival is in violation of international humanitarian law.”
He further stated that any restrictions on the movement of people and goods imposed to enforce a blockade must be justified by military necessity or could otherwise be seen as a form of collective punishment.
Israel’s move to impose a “complete siege” on the Palestinian territory was in response to a significant Hamas attack that resulted in the death of approximately 900 people in the country. In retaliation, the Israeli air force conducted strikes that led to the deaths of several hundred individuals in Gaza.