Written by Were Kelly
The United Nations’ top humanitarian official has launched a searing indictment of Israel’s conduct in Gaza, accusing the state of committing the “gravest international crimes” through a deliberate and systematic siege that is using starvation as a weapon of war. In a statement delivered on November 12-13, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths described a catastrophic deterioration in conditions, with aid deliveries plummeting to their lowest point in nearly a year and dozens of civilians, including children, dying daily from hunger and disease. His remarks represent the most severe condemnation yet from a senior UN figure, framing the humanitarian crisis not as a tragic side-effect of war but as a direct result of a calculated Israeli policy.
Griffiths left little room for ambiguity in his assessment, stating, “The systematic deprivation of food, water, and medicine is not a byproduct of conflict; it is a calculated strategy amounting to the gravest international crimes.” He detailed how despite repeated assertions from Israeli authorities that corridors for aid were open and ceasefires were in effect, the reality on the ground was one of near-total isolation for the vast majority of Gaza’s population. The situation is further compounded by the lethal threat of unexploded ordnance, which has claimed 328 lives since the conflict intensified. A senior official from the Gaza Health Ministry echoed this desperation, reporting, “Children are dying from dehydration and malnutrition in so-called safe zones. The world watches and issues statements, but we need action.”
The Israeli government issued a swift and forceful rebuttal, characterising Griffiths’ statement as a dangerous misrepresentation of its actions and intentions. An Israeli government spokesperson countered, “These allegations are a gross distortion. Israel facilitates humanitarian aid and acts against Hamas, who steal supplies. We are in a war for our survival.” Israeli officials consistently argue that their military operations are targeted at Hamas militants who embed themselves within civilian populations and that any restrictions on aid are necessary for security screening to prevent the diversion of resources for military use.
The legal and diplomatic implications of the UN aid chief’s accusation are profound. By invoking “the gravest international crimes,” a phrase that encompasses war crimes and crimes against humanity, Griffiths has placed significant pressure on member states of the UN to respond more forcefully. This could reinvigorate efforts at the International Court of Justice or the International Criminal Court to initiate formal investigations into the conduct of the conflict. For the international community, and particularly for the United States as Israel’s primary ally, the statement creates an increasingly untenable position, forcing a reckoning with the mounting evidence of a man-made humanitarian catastrophe. As the verbal and legal battles intensify at the UN, the tangible suffering within Gaza continues to escalate, with the spectre of mass famine becoming an imminent reality.
