ISTANBUL 

Israel is using food and humanitarian aid as weapons in Gaza in its ongoing war on the enclave, said the chief of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees.

Philippe Lazzarini on Thursday voiced concern over the deteriorating situation in Gaza, where Israel continues its blockade and aggressive actions against the population.

"Hunger & desperation spread as food & relief assistance are being weaponized," Lazzarini said in a statement.

“It’s been over a month of total siege. The Israeli authorities continue to ban the entry of basics: food, medicine, fuel: a collective punishment,” he added.

He further said that "it’s a symptom of a breakdown of civil order" due to the ongoing siege.

The agency chief emphasized that Palestinians in Gaza are “exhausted as they continue to be locked up in a tiny piece of land,” emphasizing that “aid must be allowed in and the siege must be lifted.”

Since March 2, Israel has closed Gaza’s border crossings to humanitarian, relief, and medical supplies, leading to an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, as confirmed by local government and human rights reports.

International human rights and UN organizations have repeatedly warned about the dire consequences of Israel tightening the blockade, pushing the population into severe hunger and deprivation.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Sunday to escalate attacks on Gaza as efforts are underway to implement US President Donald Trump's plan to displace Palestinians from the enclave.

More than 50,500 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza in Israel's military onslaught since October 2023, most of them women and children.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.