The UN human rights office has accused Israel of potentially committing war crimes by using food aid as a weapon in Gaza, resulting in hundreds of civilian deaths, while Israel denies the allegations and blames Hamas.

The United Nations human rights office has sharply criticised Israel’s aid distribution practices in Gaza, describing what it terms the “weaponisation” of food as a possible war crime.

In a press briefing from Geneva, a spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights reported that since the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation began operations in late May, over 410 civilians have been killed by Israeli fire while attempting to access food supplies. The spokesperson characterised the situation as a “militarised humanitarian assistance mechanism,” which forces the besieged civilian population into an unbearable dilemma — choosing between starvation and the risk of death.

“The targeting of people seeking essential food aid represents a grave violation of humanitarian principles and may amount to a war crime,” the spokesperson warned, while emphasising that any legal determination of guilt lies solely with an independent court.

International law prohibits the use of starvation of civilians as a method of warfare, and the UN’s comments underscore growing concerns over the conduct of hostilities in Gaza, where the civilian population is already facing extreme hardship amid ongoing conflict.

Israel has strongly denied the allegations, dismissing claims of deliberately harming civilians and instead attributing casualties to the actions of Hamas militants operating within densely populated areas. Israeli officials argue that measures taken are necessary for security and deny any intention to impede humanitarian aid.

Humanitarian agencies in Gaza have repeatedly highlighted the severe difficulties faced by aid workers in delivering food and medical supplies due to restrictions on movement and security concerns. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, established to coordinate aid distribution in the enclave, operates under these challenging conditions but has come under scrutiny from the UN and other international observers.

The UN spokesperson called for immediate measures to ensure that humanitarian assistance can be provided safely and without interference, stressing that access to food and life-saving aid must never be used as leverage in conflict.

“The civilian population of Gaza is trapped in an untenable situation,” the spokesperson said. “International law demands respect for the principles of humanity, neutrality, and impartiality in the delivery of aid.”

The situation in Gaza remains dire, with ongoing violence exacerbating the humanitarian crisis. As the international community watches closely, calls for accountability and adherence to international legal norms continue to intensify.