UN expert urges Israel to end ´starvation campaign´ in Gaza

A United Nations (UN) expert on Thursday condemned Israel's destruction of the food system in Gaza and urged an end to the "starvation campaign" there, reported Xinhua.

At a meeting of the 55th session of the UN Human Rights Council, UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food Michael Fakhri said nearly 75 percent of Gaza's fishing sector had been devastated by Israeli bombardment.

"Israel has mounted a starvation campaign against the Palestinian people in Gaza ... by targeting small-scale fishers," the independent rights expert said.

Since Oct. 7, Israel has denied all access to the sea, he said.

"Israeli forces decimated the Port of Gaza, destroying every single fishing boat and shack," he said. "In Rafah, only two out of 40 boats are left. In Khan Younis, Israel destroyed approximately 75 small-scale fishing vessels."

The destruction of fishing livelihoods in the enclave had undermined the right to food for people in Gaza and pushed them into hunger and starvation, Fakhri said.

On Tuesday, UN experts condemned the violence of Israeli troops that fired on crowds of Palestinians gathered to collect flour in the southwest of Gaza on Feb. 29. At least 112 people died and some 760 were injured, according to a UN press release.