UN Experts Call Israel Destroying Gaza's Food System With 'Worship' Tactics

Refugees in Gaza queue for food. (Source: UNRWA/Ashraf Amra)

JAKARTA - United Nations (UN) experts said on Thursday Israel destroyed Gaza's food system as part of a broader "hung campaign", in its war against Hamas militants and narnished the UN human rights body for not doing more.

"The image of hunger in Gaza is unbearable and you are doing nothing," Michael Fakhri, UN Special Reporter for Food Rights, said in a speech at the UN Human Rights Council.

Humanitarian aid officials have warned of starvation, five months after a campaign against Palestinian militant groups, while hospitals in the northern part of a remote enclave say children are starting to die of malnutrition.

Fakhri further told the council Israel was "destroying the food system in Gaza".

"Israel has launched a campaign of starvation against Palestinians in Gaza," he added, including targeting small-scale fishermen.

On the same occasion, Lebanese-Canadian professor of law Fakhri, one of dozens of independent human rights experts mandated by the United Nations to report and advise, accusing Israel of targeting small-scale fishermen by denying their access to the sea and destroying boats and huts.

About 80 percent of Gaza's fisheries sector has been destroyed since October 7, he said, adding each ship had been destroyed by Israeli forces at the main port of Gaza City.

In his closing remarks, Fakhri asked member countries to also consider sanctions, termination of diplomatic relations, and arms embargoes.

"This is under your supervision. Please change your words into actions," he said.

It is known, several countries in the world have criticized Israel for rising hunger in the region, including Egypt and Iraq.

In response to this, Yeela Cytrin, Israel's mission legal adviser to the United Nations, called the allegations against Israel a "open lie".

"Israel completely rejects accusations that it uses hunger as a tool of war," he told the council and then came out as a form of protest.

Israel itself denies restricting aid to Gaza and has begun working with private contractors to distribute aid.

The UN Human Rights Council formed an open UN Inquiry Commission in 2021 to investigate violations on both sides of the conflict, but has not issued any new motion since the latest violence began.