Alice Jill Edwards, the UN Special Rapporteur on torture, has voiced alarm over the rising number of starvation-related deaths in Gaza, calling for urgent and unrestricted humanitarian aid. She condemned the use of hunger as a weapon, describing it as a “serious and recurring violation” in the ongoing conflict.

Amid reports of Palestinians being killed while queuing for food and widespread malnutrition, Edwards warned that starvation’s physical and psychological toll—especially on infants and pregnant women—is both “foreseeable and preventable.” She emphasized that all parties have legal obligations to ensure access to food and water and not to obstruct or manipulate the delivery of aid.

The expert welcomed Israel’s announcement of a three-month humanitarian pause to facilitate aid but stressed that more sustained efforts are needed to end the conflict and pursue a two-state solution. Edwards also reiterated calls for the release of all hostages and arbitrarily detained Palestinians, and for independent investigations into alleged abuses.

Source: Special Procedures/United Nations/Human Rights Council.