UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has sharply criticized far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich over his controversial statements about starving Palestinians.
According to Israeli media reports, Smotrich said that a blockade of aid supplies to the Gaza Strip was justified to free the hostages abducted to Gaza during the October 7 terrorist attacks on Israel – even if it meant that 2 million people would starve.
His comments on Monday triggered outrage in Germany, France, and the EU.
Türk said such statements incite hatred against innocent civilians. He said that allowing people to starve or collectively punishing them are war crimes. He said such statements, particularly from officials, must stop immediately and demanded they be investigated and, if classified as crimes, prosecuted and punished.
Türk also reiterated his call for a ceasefire in the Gaza war and the release of the remaining hostages being held in the Gaza Strip.
