NEW YORK CITY: The UN’s special rapporteur on torture, Alice Jill Edwards, on Wednesday expressed grave concern over the growing number of starvation-related deaths among Palestinians in Gaza.
She described the starving of civilians as ‘lethal, inhumane and degrading,’ and called for the rapid and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid to the battered enclave.
“Depriving people of food, water and dignity has been a serious and recurring violation of this war and it must end,” she said, citing “shocking” reports of people being killed while queuing for food, as well as widespread hunger and malnutrition.
The risk of all-out famine in Gaza is escalating, she added, stressing that all parties to the conflict have legal obligations under international law to ensure civilians under their control have access to food and water, and to facilitate humanitarian operations.
“They must not steal, divert or willfully impede the distribution of aid,” Edwards said.
