Israel using food, humanitarian aid as weapons in Gaza: UN agency for Palestinian refugees

Israel is using food and humanitarian aid as weapons in Gaza in its ongoing war on the enclave, said the chief of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees.

Philippe Lazzarini voiced concern over the deteriorating situation in Gaza yesterday, where Israel continues its blockade and aggressive actions against the population.

“Hunger & desperation spread as food & relief assistance are being weaponised,” Lazzarini said in a statement.

“It’s been over a month of total siege. The Israeli authorities continue to ban the entry of basics: food, medicine, fuel: a collective punishment,” he added.

He further said that “it’s a symptom of a breakdown of civil order” due to the ongoing siege.

The agency chief emphasised that Palestinians in Gaza are “exhausted as they continue to be locked up in a tiny piece of land,” emphasising that “aid must be allowed in and the siege must be lifted.”

Since 2 March, Israel has closed Gaza’s border crossings to humanitarian, relief and medical supplies, leading to an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, as confirmed by local government and human rights reports.

International human rights and UN organisations have repeatedly warned about the dire consequences of Israel’s blockade, pushing the population into severe hunger and deprivation.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Sunday to escalate attacks on Gaza as efforts are underway to implement US President Donald Trump’s plan to displace Palestinians from the enclave.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for its war on the enclave.

The ongoing effort to prevent the normalisation of genocide