Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has sparked international outrage after suggesting that allowing the entire population of Gaza to go hungry could be a morally justified way to fight Hamas.
Smotrich made the controversial remarks earlier this week, saying that it is impossible for Israel to wage war in the current reality and that “no one in the world would let us starve two million citizens, even though it may be just and moral until they [Hamas] return our hostages.”
The US State Department condemned Smotrich’s statements, calling them “appalling,” “harmful,” and “disturbing.” The department also reiterated the Biden administration’s commitment to ending the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and removing obstacles to humanitarian aid.
EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell went further, labeling the suggestion to starve civilians a “war crime” and calling Smotrich’s advocacy for it “beyond ignominious.” He demanded that the Israeli government unequivocally distance itself from Smotrich’s words, which he described as demonstrating “contempt for international law and for basic principles of humanity.”
The UK’s new Foreign Minister David Lammy joined the chorus of condemnation, writing on X that “there can be no justification for Minister Smotrich’s remarks” and urging the “wider Israeli government to retract and condemn them.”
The French Foreign Ministry expressed “deep astonishment” at the remarks, calling them “disgraceful.”
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry responded by calling on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue an arrest warrant for Smotrich and urging countries around the world to ban him from entering their territories. The ministry described the comments as an “explicit admission of adopting and bragging about the policy of genocide” in Gaza and a “direct disregard for international legitimacy decisions and international consensus on protecting civilians and securing their basic humanitarian needs.”
Smotrich has dismissed the international criticism, claiming that his statement was taken out of context and misunderstood. He insisted that he does not advocate for starving Palestinians but believes that further aid to Gaza should be conditioned on the release of the hostages held by Hamas.
“I fully stand by my statement,” Smotrich said. “If there are attempts to misconstrue my words, I believe I have provided a clear and unambiguous explanation of my intended meaning.”