GENEVA, August 22, 2025 (WAFA) – The UN human rights chief Volker Turk said on Friday that the officially declared famine in Gaza is the “direct result of actions taken by the Israeli government”.
He added that the deaths from starvation might amount to a war crime.
“The famine declared today in Gaza Governorate by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) is the direct result of actions taken by the Israeli government,” Turk said in a statement to reporters.
“It is a war crime to use starvation as a method of warfare, and the resulting deaths may also amount to the war crime of willful killing,” he added.
The UN official urged Israeli occupation authorities to immediately take steps to end the famine in Gaza Governorate and to prevent further loss of life throughout the territory.
He also emphasized the urgent need to allow full and unimpeded access for humanitarian aid in sufficient quantities, and called on Israel to grant complete access to the United Nations and other humanitarian organizations.
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