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.
She detailed the “catastrophic physiological consequences” of prolonged calorie deprivation, including malnutrition, organ failure and death, particularly among vulnerable groups such as infants and pregnant women.
“The psychological impact of being deprived of food and water is inherently cruel,” she added.
“Constantly changing rules, militarized distributions and daily and hourly uncertainty about when one is going to access these basic necessities is causing utter despair, stress and trauma.”
She welcomed a recent announcement by Israel of humanitarian pauses in military operations to allow the World Food Programme to deliver aid throughout Gaza over a planned three-month period, but said “more must be done” to end the hostilities and establish long-term peace based on a two-state solution.
“No one should have to suffer the humiliation of being forced to beg for food, and especially not when there are ample supplies waiting to be provided,” she said.
Edwards also reiterated her call for the unconditional and immediate release of all hostages, the release of arbitrarily detained Palestinians, and for independent investigations into allegations of torture, ill-treatment and other potential war crimes by all parties.
She said she has raised her concerns repeatedly with relevant authorities and continues to press for full accountability.
Special rapporteurs are part of what is known as the special procedures of the UN Human Rights Council. They are independent experts who work on a voluntary basis, are not members of UN staff and are not paid for their work.
