Weaponization of food in Gaza constitutes war crime: UN
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The UN human rights office states that "Israel’s" militarized aid system in Gaza, linked to the deaths of over 410 civilians, may constitute a war crime due to the weaponization of food.
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A Palestinian girl waits to collect donated food at a food distribution kitchen in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, on May 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
The UN human rights office warned on Tuesday that the weaponization of food distribution in Gaza could amount to a war crime. The statement comes amid growing international criticism of the new aid distribution model operated by the Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).
Speaking at a press briefing in Geneva, UN human rights office spokesperson Thameen al-Kheetan revealed that more than 410 civilians have been killed by Israeli gunfire or shelling while attempting to gather aid since the foundation began operations in late May.
Al-Kheetan confirmed that the death toll has been independently verified by the United Nations, adding that "desperate, hungry people in Gaza continue to face the inhumane choice of either starving to death or risking being killed while trying to get food."
He described the current system as "Israel’s militarized humanitarian assistance mechanism," stressing its deadly consequences for civilians in desperate need of relief.
Restricting or obstructing access to life-saving aid not only puts civilian lives at risk but may also represent serious violations of international law, al-Kheetan noted, saying "the weaponization of food against civilians constitutes a war crime and, under certain circumstances, may amount to other crimes under international law."
Although al-Kheetan stopped short of directly accusing "Israel" of committing war crimes, he emphasized that such determinations must be made by a competent court, adding that "Israel" has denied all allegations of war crimes in Gaza, instead blaming armed resistance groups for civilian casualties.
40 Palestinians killed in ongoing Israeli airstrikes on Gaza
Earlier today, Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza reported that 40 Palestinians were killed as a result of ongoing Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip since dawn Tuesday, after the strikes targeted various areas, including residential neighborhoods and locations where displaced persons and civilians were gathered.
25 Palestinians were martyred and more than 150 were injured when the occupation forces struck a crowd waiting for humanitarian aid near the Netzarim junction in the central Gaza Strip. The attack caused widespread devastation among civilians awaiting relief.
Medical sources at al-Awda Hospital in Nuseirat confirmed that the facility received 19 martyrs and 146 injured individuals following shelling that targeted hundreds of citizens on Salah al-Din Street, south of Wadi Gaza.
The sources indicated that at least 62 of the injured were in critical condition, straining the already overwhelmed medical infrastructure.
Rescue and civil defense crews also recovered five bodies from under the rubble of a house destroyed in the al-Sabra neighborhood, south of Gaza City.
