The European Union, France, and the United Kingdom have strongly condemned Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich after he suggested that starving the population of Gaza might be “justified and moral.”
Smotrich’s controversial statement, made on Wednesday, has sparked widespread outrage. “No one in the world will allow us to starve 2 million people, even though it might be justified and moral in order to free the hostages,” he said.
On the same day, Israel’s Channel 12 aired security camera footage that allegedly shows the sexual assault of a Palestinian detainee from Gaza at the Sde Teiman military detention camp. The detention of soldiers implicated in the alleged abuse last week led to violent riots.
The White House expressed alarm over the reports of rape, torture, and abuse of Palestinian prisoners, calling them “deeply concerning.”
In his remarks this week, Smotrich justified the provision of humanitarian aid to Gaza, stating, “We are in a situation that requires international legitimacy to conduct this war.”
The European Union responded to Smotrich’s comments by stating that the deliberate starvation of civilians constitutes a “war crime,” urging the Israeli government to “unequivocally distance itself” from the minister’s words.
France echoed this criticism, emphasizing that Israel has an “obligation under international humanitarian law” to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza, given its control over the territory.
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy also condemned Smotrich’s remarks, calling on the Israeli government to retract them. “International law could not be more clear – the deliberate starvation of civilians is a war crime,” Lammy tweeted. “There can be no justification for Minister Smotrich’s remarks.”
Additionally, the U.S. Department of State urged Israel to conduct a thorough investigation into allegations of sexual abuse against Palestinian detainees by Israeli soldiers.
Addressing the video broadcasted by Channel 12, spokesperson Matthew Miller said, “We have seen the video, and reports of sexual abuse of detainees are horrific. There ought to be zero tolerance for sexual abuse, rape of any detainee, period … If there are detainees who have been sexually assaulted or raped, the government of Israel, the IDF need to fully investigate those actions.”
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