The UN human rights office called for an investigation into the deaths of the over 400 Palestinians killed by Israeli forces near the aid distribution points in Gaza since May 27.
Israel’s “militarized humanitarian assistance mechanism” in the Gaza Strip is “in contradiction with international standards on aid distribution,” the UN human rights office (OHCHR) has warned, pointing out that the “weaponization of food” constitutes “a war crime.”
“The weaponization of food for civilians, in addition to restricting or preventing their access to life-sustaining services, constitutes a war crime and, under certain circumstances, may constitute elements of other crimes under international law,” OHCHR spokesperson Thameen al-Kheetan said at a press briefing on Tuesday.
He said the aid mechanism “endangers civilians, and contributes to the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza.”
#Gaza: Since 27 May, Israeli army reportedly killed over 410 Palestinians who were trying to get food.
Killing and wounding of civilians resulting from the unlawful use of firearms constitute a grave breach of international law & a war crime.
— UN Human Rights (@UNHumanRights) June 24, 2025
“Desperate, hungry people in Gaza continue to face the inhumane choice of either starving to death or risk being killed while trying to get food,” al-Kheetan stressed.
Hundreds Killed
Over 410 Palestinians have reportedly been killed by Israeli forces since Israel’s US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) began operating on May 27, the OHCHR spokesperson stated.
The Israeli army, he stressed, “has shelled and shot Palestinians trying to reach the distribution points, leading to many fatalities.”
Gaza Humanitarian Foundation ‘Responsible’ for Aid Point ‘Death Traps’
At least 93 others “have also reportedly been killed by the Israeli army” while attempting to approach “the very few aid convoys” of the UN and other humanitarian organisations, he added, while at least 3,000 Palestinians have been injured in these incidents.
Call for Investigation
“Each of these killings must be promptly and impartially investigated, and those responsible must be held to account,” the UN official stated.
“The killing and wounding of civilians resulting from the unlawful use of firearms constitute a grave breach of international law, and a war crime,” he emphasized.
Israeli occupation forces open fire, KILLING and INJURING 10s of starving civilians seeking aid near the US-Israeli aid centre in Rafah! pic.twitter.com/nNfw1rWnUZ
— Motasem A Dalloul (@AbujomaaGaza) June 23, 2025
Gaza’s Ministry of Health on Tuesday said the death toll among Palestinians seeking aid at the distribution points killed by Israeli forces has risen to 516.
Al-Kheetan warned that Gaza “remains on the verge of famine” as a result of Israel’s closure and blockade, as well as “ongoing unlawful restrictions” on the entry and distribution of humanitarian assistance.
“This adds to Israel’s systematic destruction of local food production and the economy, as well as the repeated forced mass displacements over the past 20 months,” he said.
‘Few Trucks’ Allowed Entry
Israel “also continues to impose severe restrictions” on the work of the UN and other humanitarian organisations, preventing them from bringing and distributing food, fuel and lifesaving assistance into Gaza, the UN official said.
“Only a very few trucks” have been allowed in since March 2, 2025.
#Gaza: Desperate, hungry people continue to face the inhumane choice of either starving to death or risk being killed while trying to get food.
The Israeli military must stop shooting at people trying to get food & allow the entry of humanitarian assistance into Gaza.
— UN Human Rights (@UNHumanRights) June 24, 2025
The Israeli military “must stop shooting at people trying to get food,” al-Kheetan stressed, adding that Israel “must also allow the entry of food and other humanitarian assistance needed to sustain the lives of Palestinians in Gaza in accordance with international law and humanitarian principles.”
“It must immediately lift its unlawful restrictions on the work of UN and other humanitarian actors,” he stated.
Palestinians of Gaza have endured and continue to endure sacrifices unseen by any people in human history, writes Haidar Eid.https://t.co/ECzm2BKpAs
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) June 23, 2025
Third States “have the obligation to take concrete steps to ensure that Israel, the occupying power in Gaza, complies with its duty to ensure that sufficient food and lifesaving necessities are provided to the population,” the UN official added.
Over 56,000 Killed
Since Israel’s reneging on the ceasefire on March 18, it has killed and wounded thousands of Palestinians throughout the Gaza Strip through a bloody and ongoing aerial bombardment.
On October 7, 2023, following a Palestinian Resistance operation in southern Israel, the Israeli military launched a genocidal war against the Palestinians, killing over 56,000, wounding more than 131,000, with over 14,000 still missing.
Gaza: Bureaucratizing Genocide, Administering Hunger through Aid
Despite habitual condemnation by many countries around the world of the Israeli genocide, little has been done to hold Israel accountable.
Israel is currently under investigation for the crime of genocide by the International Court of Justice, while accused war criminals — including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — are now officially wanted by the International Criminal Court.
The Israeli genocide has been largely defended, supported, and financed by Washington and a few other Western powers.
(The Palestine Chronicle)
The Israeli Nazis are the scum of the Earth. No one has the sack to take them out. The world needs a Gavrilo Princip.