A U.N. expert criticized Israel's actions in Gaza, accusing it of deliberately destroying the region's food system as part of a wider "starvation campaign" against the narrow strip of land it is employing a "total siege" on.
Michael Fakhri, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, criticized the U.N. Human Rights Council for its inaction, lamenting, "The images of starvation in Gaza are unbearable, and you are doing nothing."
Aid officials have raised concerns about a potential famine after five months of conflict with the Palestinian resistance group.
Hospitals in northern Gaza have reported children dying from malnutrition, as distressing images of malnourished children start to emerge.
Fakhri emphasized that Israel's actions were directly responsible for "destroying the food system in Gaza."
"Israel has mounted a starvation campaign against the Palestinian people in Gaza," he added, saying that included targeting small-scale fishermen.
Numerous other countries have criticized Israel for the growing hunger in the enclave, including Vice President Kamala Harris of the U.S., which is Israel's closest ally, Türkiye, South Africa, Egypt, Iraq and many others.
Despite the mounting evidence showing otherwise, Yeela Cytrin, a legal adviser at the Israeli mission to the U.N., coarsely denied the allegations against it. "Israel utterly rejects allegations that it is using starvation as a tool of war," she told the council and then walked out.
Israel said it has started working with private contractors to deliver aid to Gaza and that its fight is with Hamas, whom it claims killed 1,200 people and seized 253 hostages during its Oct. 7 attacks. But Israel's indiscriminate bombings and invasion of Gaza have so far killed over 30,700 people, mostly women and children civilians.
Fakhri, a Lebanese-Canadian law professor, is one of dozens of independent human rights experts mandated by the United Nations to report and advise on specific themes and crises.
In his speech to the 47-member Geneva council, he alleged that Israel is targeting small-scale fishermen by denying them access to the sea and destroying boats and shacks.
Around 80% of Gaza's fishing sector has been destroyed since Oct. 7, he said, adding that every boat had been demolished by Israeli forces in the main port of Gaza City.
In his closing remarks, Fakhri called on member countries to also consider sanctions, cutting diplomatic ties and arms embargoes.
"This is on your watch. Please turn your words into action," he said.
The council set up an open-ended U.N. Commission of Inquiry in 2021 to investigate violations on both sides of the conflict but has not passed any new motions since the latest round of violence began.
