Human Rights Watch has condemned Israel’s ongoing blockade of Gaza, calling it a “tool of extermination” that has escalated beyond military strategy into a campaign of mass suffering.
In a sharp statement on Thursday, HRW’s interim director Federico Borello said, “Hearing Israeli officials flaunt plans to squeeze Gaza’s two million people into an even tinier area while making the rest uninhabitable should be treated like a five-alarm fire.”
HRW accused Israel of deliberately targeting Gaza’s infrastructure and population, describing its actions as war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and acts of genocide.
The human rights group also held other nations accountable, especially those who are party to the Genocide Convention — including the U.S., U.K., France, Germany, and the EU — for failing to prevent further atrocities.
“States that signed the Genocide Convention are not just supposed to punish genocide — they’re obligated to prevent it,” Borello said. “Failing to stop Israel from starving civilians in Gaza defies the very essence of that commitment.”
Human Rights Watch urged countries to end weapons sales, military aid, and diplomatic support to Israel. It also called for sanctions on Israeli officials and possible suspensions of bilateral deals.
Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis deepens. The World Health Organization warned that Gaza is facing “one of the world’s worst hunger crises.” At least 57 children have died from malnutrition, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
Israel’s complete blockade since March 2 has cut off food, fuel, water, and medicine. Israeli ministers have publicly stated that no aid will be allowed in “as long as our hostages are dying in tunnels,” referencing the 58 Israeli captives held in Gaza.
A controversial plan by Israel and the U.S. to use private contractors to deliver aid has also come under fire, with aid groups warning it will not reach the most desperate and instead reinforces control over humanitarian access as a weapon of war.
HRW emphasized that states can still be held legally responsible for failing to act, even before a court formally determines that genocide is occurring, highlighting a case currently before U.K. courts over British arms sales to Israel.
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