Smotrich ‘Gaza starvation’ comments condemned by UK and the EU

Far-right Israeli minister Bezalel Smotrich has been condemned by the UK, France, and the EU after appearing to suggest it might be “justified and moral” to starve Palestinians in Gaza.

In a speech delivered this week the finance minister said “no one in the world will allow us to starve two million people, even though it might be justified and moral in order to free the hostages.”

Smotrich also claimed Israel was providing humanitarian aid to Gaza “because we have no choice” as Israel had to get “international legitimacy to conduct this war.”

UK foreign secretary David Lammy, called on “the wider Israeli government to retract and condemn” the remarks, which the EU said the deliberate starvation of civilians was a “war crime”.

It repeatedly calls for the Israeli government to “unequivocally distance itself” from the words of the far-right minister.

France also criticised Smotrich, saying providing humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza is an “obligation under international humanitarian law” for Israel as it controls all access to the territory.

Meanwhile the US state department called for Israel to fully investigate allegations of sexual abuse against Palestinian detainees by its soldiers.

A video aired by Israel’s Channel 12 showed soldiers forcing a detainee out of sight of surveillance cameras. They then appeared to abuse the captured Palestinian..

“We have seen the video, and reports of sexual abuse of detainees are horrific,” spokesperson Matthew Miller said. “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.”

The White House said reports of rape, torture and abuse of Palestinian prisoners “deeply concerning”.