Security Council members, except US, say Gaza famine is ‘man-made’

UNITED NATIONS: All United Nations Security Council members, except the United States, on Wednesday said the famine in Gaza was a “manmade crisis” and warned that the use of starvation as a weapon of war is banned under international humanitarian law.

In a joint statement, the 14 council members called for an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire, the release of all hostages held by Hamas and other groups, a substantive surge of aid throughout Gaza, and for Israel to immediately and unconditionally lift all restrictions on aid delivery.

Earlier, the CEO of Save the Children — an NGO — at the UN Security Council described the starvation of Palestinians an “engineered famine”, and the children in Gaza “do not have the strength to speak or even cry out in agony”.

Read more: ‘Engineered famine’: Starving Gaza children too weak to cry

“The Gaza famine is here. An engineered famine. A predicted famine. A manmade famine. As we speak children in Gaza are systematically being starved to death,” said Inger Ashing.

Last week, the United Nations officially declared a famine in Gaza, blaming “systematic obstruction of aid” by Israel, after Defence Minister Israel Katz threatened to destroy the territory’s largest city.

Read more: UN declares famine in Gaza due to Israel’s systematic blockage of aid

Earlier on Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron strongly rejected Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent criticism over rising antisemitism in France and warned the issue should not be “weaponised”, in an letter to the Israeli leader.

Read more: France defends move to recognize Palestinian state, Gulf States welcome

At the same time, he expressed his determination to establish a Palestinian state under the two-state solution — a stance that has been responded with wrath and ridicule by both Israel and the United States.