A United Nations senior official accused Israel of subjecting civilians in Gaza to forced starvation, warning that the situation can constitute a war crime.
In an interview with the BBC, Tom Fletcher, the UN humanitarian chief, said that denying food to a hungry population could not be justified. “It is classified as a war crime. Obviously, these are issues for court to take the trial and, ultimately, that the story takes a judgment,” he said.
Israel imposed an almost total blockade in Gaza for almost three months before allowing limited help last week. Since then, chaotic scenes have been developed in the distribution centers administered by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a group backed by the United States and Israel not supported by the UN.
The United Nations reported that 47 people were injured earlier this week during a fight for help in one of those sites.
Fletcher said: “We are seeing foods on the borders and they are not allowed to enter when there is a population on the other side of the border that dies of hunger, and we are listening to Israeli ministers to say that it is to press the population of Gaza.”
“We hope that everyone’s governments represent international humanitarian law, the international community is very, very clear about it,” Fletcher said.
Hamas says that the high the fire plan of those registered in the United States will prolong the Israeli aggression in Gaza
Hamas has received a high fire proposal presented by the Trump administration with criticism, who says that current terms would only lead to greater murder and famine in the suspension of Gaza.
The plan, which the United States says that Israel has already accepted, remains under review of Hamas’ leadership, Al Jazeera reported.
Hamas officials say that the proposal lacks the main guarantee that the Palestinians have demanded for a long time: a permanent unemployment to Israeli military operations, the total withdrawal of the occupation forces and humanitarian access without restrictions.
“The agreement does not meet the demands of any of the people, mainly among them, stopping the war,” said Basem Naim, a member of the Hamas political office. “However, movement leadership is studying the response with full national responsibility.”
An answer is expected for the end of the week, even when the tensions prevail in the field and within the diplomatic channels.
A plan with conditions
According to a draft seen by ReutersThe Alto Fire Plan would cover 60 days and include the release of 28 Israeli hostages, both living and deceased, in exchange for 125 Palestinian prisoners and the remains of 180 Palestinians. The terms have not been publicly revealed by officials on both sides.
Mediated by Egypt and Qatar, and according to the reports guaranteed by President Donald Trump, the plan would allow international aid to gaza as soon as Hamas firm the agreement.
However, Hamas’ senior official Sami Abu Zuhri said the proposal did not include any Israeli commitment to end the war or lift the blockade, which raises serious doubts about its sincerity.
“This is just another attempt to press resistance while Gaza civilians continue to suffer,” Zuhri said Reuters.
READ: Israeli attacks kill 55 people in Gaza today
Conflictive accounts
Earlier this week, Hamas said he had reached an initial understanding with the envoy of the Middle East of Trump, Steve Witkoff, which involves a frame for a high permanent fire and the establishment of a neutral administrative body to handle the postwar gaza.
Witkoff, however, denied that this agreement has been reached, qualifying the Hamas version of “completely unacceptable.” An American official described the group’s statement as “inaccurate and disappointing.”
Israeli officials also rejected the Hamas account, with an unidentified source cited in the local media that label it “psychological war”.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has indicated the will to move forward with the proposal backed by the United States, according to reports shared with families of Israeli captives. Some analysts suggest that this could be a political calculation destined to blame Hamas if the conversations collapse.
“It is not the first time that Netanyahu has made a deal impossible to accept, then he blamed Hamas for failure,” said Israeli analyst Akiva Eldar Al Jazeera.
On the ground: war and hunger
The situation in Gaza is still catastrophic. Since Israel resumed its military assault on March 18 after breaking the terms and conditions of high fire, more than 4,000 Palestinians have been killed, which brought the number of deaths for death in the enclave to more than 54,000, according to the Palestinian health authorities.
The blockade of humanitarian aid has led many areas of Gaza to the edge of famine. Although Israel partially relieved his restrictions on May 19, allowing him to enter some help, the United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, described the relief “a teaspoon of what is needed.”
Read more: Hamas accepts the proposal to cease fire, but Israel rejects it
This week, chaotic scenes developed as thousands of Palestinians swarms limited help distributed by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation backed by the United States and Israel, a new and controversial initiative criticized by many in the region for lack of transparency and local coordination.
The Israel War in Gaza
The Gaza Ministry of Health said Sunday that at least 3,785 people had been killed in the territory since a high fire collapsed on March 18, which has the general cost of the war to 53,939, mostly civilians, according to AFP.
Israel’s atrocities have displaced around 90% of the estimated 2 million residents of Gaza, created a severe hunger crisis and have caused generalized destruction throughout the territory.
The Israeli army has followed a brutal offensive against Gaza since October 2023, killing at least 61,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, according to Al Jazeera.
The International Criminal Court issued arrest orders last November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a case of genocide in the International Court of Justice for its war in the enclave.
