UN accuses Israel of war crimes with ‘collective punishment’ of Gaza

The United Nations Humans Rights Office has accused Israel of committing war crimes with the siege and blockage of the Gaza Strip.

“Collective punishment is a war crime.

“Israel’s collective punishment of the entire population of Gaza must immediately cease,” spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said on Friday in Geneva.

The UN agency also said that the Palestinian Islamist militant group Hamas had committed war crimes and atrocities including by abducting civilians from Israel during deadly attacks on October 7.

Shamdasani demanded that Palestinian groups halt the “indiscriminate attacks” on Israel.

More than 200 people, many of them civilians, were believed to be held captive by Hamas in Gaza.

Israel declared a “complete siege” of Gaza, cutting off supplies of water, food, electricity and fuel.

“A humanitarian catastrophe unfolds for the 2.2 million people locked inside Gaza who are being collectively punished,” Shamdasani said.