UN Human Rights Chief Says 'Famine' in Gaza May Constitute 'War Crime' by Israel

United Nations human rights Chief Volker Türk on Friday accused the Israeli government of causing widespread starvation in Gaza that he said may constitute a war crime.

Shortly after the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) officially declared that conditions in Gaza constituted a famine, Türk laid the blame for the humanitarian disaster directly at the feet of Israel.

"The famine declared today in Gaza... is the direct result of actions taken by the Israeli Government," he said. "It has unlawfully restricted the entry and distribution of humanitarian assistance and other goods necessary for the survival of the civilian population in the Gaza strip."

Türk noted that the Israeli military had "destroyed critical civilian infrastructure and almost all agricultural land, banned fishing, and forcibly displaced the population," all of which resulted in the starvation crisis in Gaza.

"It is a war crime to use starvation as a method of warfare, and the resulting deaths may also amount to the war crime of willful killing," Türk continued. "Israeli authorities must take immediate steps to end the famine in the Gaza Governorate and prevent further loss of life across the Gaza strip. They must ensure immediate entry of humanitarian assistance in sufficient amounts, and full access to UN and other humanitarian organizations."

UN Secretary-General António Guterres said that the IPC report confirmed that the starvation in Gaza is a "man-made disaster, a moral indictment—and a failure of humanity itself."

"Famine is not about food; it is the deliberate collapse of the systems needed for human survival," Guterres emphasized. "As the occupying power, Israel has unequivocal obligations under international law—including the duty of ensuring food and medical supplies of the population... No more excuses. The time for action is not tomorrow—it is now."

The IPC report emphasized that, as bad as the situation in Gaza currently is, it is projected to get even worse in the coming weeks.

"Between mid-August and the end of September 2025, conditions are expected to further worsen with famine projected to expand to Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis," the IPC stated. "Nearly a third of the population (641,000 people) are expected to face catastrophic conditions (IPC Phase 5), while those in emergency (IPC Phase 4) will likely rise to 1.14 million (58%). Acute malnutrition is projected to continue worsening rapidly."

The Gaza Health Ministry has estimated that 272 people in Gaza, including 112 children, have so far died from severe hunger as a result of the Israeli blockade. Additionally, international charity Save the Children earlier this month said that 43% of pregnant and breastfeeding women who showed up to its clinics in Gaza last month were malnourished, which represented a threefold increase since March, when the Israeli military imposed a total siege on the enclave.