Gaza is forced hunger, UN chief official tells BBC

The UN Humanitarian Chief said people were being forced hungry by Israel.

In an interview with BBC, Tom Fletcher said he believed that this had led to a change in the international gas reaction.

Asked whether his assessment of the forced hunger was in a military crime, he replied: “Yes, it is classified as a war crime. Obviously, it is a matter of issues to make a decision and eventually make a decision.”

Mr. Fletcher also regretted that he recently said that 14,000 babies could die within 48 hours in Gaza, if the assistance was not allowed – the UN’s statement was later retreated – and recognized the need to be a “accurate” language.

Last week, Israel started giving limited assistance to gas after almost three -month blockade stopped delivery of materials such as food, medicine, fuel and shelter.

Two weeks after the blockade, he also restored the military offensive, completing a two -month ceasefire with Hamas.

Israel said the steps were intended to put pressure on an armed group to release 58 hostages who remain in gas, at least 20 of which are considered alive.

Since the blockade weakening, the chaos scenes have crashed in the distribution centers conducted by the Gaza Status, which is supported by the United States and Israel.

UN that refuses to cooperate with GHF, said 47 people were injured earlier this week After the crowd, one of the centers was overcome.

Mr. Fletcher said: “We see the food put on the borders and do not allow when on the other side of the border that is starving, and we hear that Israeli ministers say it presses on the Gaza population.”

He said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should “absolutely” abandon the statement made by the Minister of Finance Blackle, who said that people would “be fully despair, realizing that there was no hope and nothing to seek” and would like to move to start “new life.”

“We expect governments all over the world to stand for international humanitarian law, the international community is very clear,” Mr. Fletcher said.

He urged Netanyahu to make sure that “this language, and ultimately this policy … forced movement is not accepted.”

Israel has encountered an increasing international critic about his war.

On Tuesday, the EU’s chief diplomat Kaj Kalas said: “Israeli blows go beyond what is needed to fight Hamas.”

Her remarks followed the interference of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who announced that he “no longer understands” Israel’s goals.

Previously this month Leaders of the UK, France and Canada He called on the Israeli government to “stop its hostilities” and “immediately allow humanitarian aid to enter gas.” In response, Netanyahu accused them of Hamas.

On May 14, Mr. Fletcher called on the UN Security Council to act to prevent genocide into gas.

Asked why he made the statement, he referred to a report from his colleagues on the ground in Gaza.

“What they report is forced movement. They report fasting, they report torture, and they report on a large -scale death,” he said.

Mr. Fletcher said that in the cases of Rwanda, silver and Sri Lanka “the world told us after we did not act on time that we did not sound a warning.”

“And this is my call to the Security Council and the world now,” Will you act to prevent genocide? ”

Mr. Fletcher came under strong criticism from Israel after he stated that 14,000 children would die in 48 hours if the help was not allowed into the lane.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry has accused Mr. Fletcher of ignoring Hamas atrocities and repeating their propaganda. “This is not humanitarian work, it is a slander of blood,” the ministry said at the time.

Mr. Fletcher said, “The moment I was making these comments, we tried desperately to get this help.

“We were told that we could not enter it, and we knew that we would probably have a couple of days, the window to get as much help as possible, and it was refused and we went desperately. And yes, we should be exactly accurate with our language, and we specified it.”

Asked about his claim – he gave up Israel – that thousands of trucks were waiting at the border to enter the gas, Mr. Fletcher repeated that he especially needed to be “careful and really accurate.”

He agreed that there was a risk to consider him the situation, but he added: “I am not going to stop advocating the need to save these lives to save as much as possible. This is my job and I have to do it better and I will do it.”

He said that mediation and negotiations are a way of resolving the crisis in Gaza and repeated his call to Hamas to release Israeli hostages held in a group of militants.

“We all want these hostages to be released and returned with their families,” he said.

“Now I don’t know what the purpose of this war is.

“And it is clear that many people said, in a new equation, a new equation of gas and Palestinian territories.”

Mr. Fletcher rejected Israeli statements that Hamas steal a large amount of food aid.

“I don’t want to see any of these help to Hama.

“As a humanitarian, my interest is to get as soon as possible, and keep as much life as we are allowed to do at the time when we have.”

Mr. Fletcher also deals with the crises in Ukraine, Sudan and Syria, among others, and said that the world is facing a “deep” moment.

“The Security Council is polarized, divided,” he said.

“This means that it is much harder for us to stop conflicts; the conflicts we are dealing with are more fierce, there is more impunity, and they last longer.

“Stop the war is getting harder and harder, and we are humanists … fight the consequences.”

Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza in response to Hamas’s cross -border attack on October 7, 2023, which killed about 1,200 people and took 251 people hostage.

At least 54 2,49 people have been killed in Gaza since 3986 since Israel has restored its offensive, the Ministry of Health’s Health reports.

With the additional reporting of Olivia lace-es and Maarten Lernout.

N