Switzerland says Israeli official's call to starve Gaza 'unacceptable'

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

GENEVA (AA) - Switzerland on Thursday described recent statements by Israel’s finance minister suggesting letting civilians in Gaza starve to death as "unacceptable."

"Starving civilians deliberately is a war crime," the Foreign Ministry said on X. "The latest remarks of Minister (Bezalel) Smotrich are unacceptable."

It stressed that Switzerland expects the Israeli government to comply with international humanitarian law.

Smotrich said at a conference hosted by Israel’s Hayom daily in which he said that "nobody will let us cause 2 million civilians to die of hunger even though it might be justified and moral until our hostages are returned."

Since the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas cross-border incursion, Israel has killed nearly 40,000 Palestinians in the besieged enclave and displaced most of its 2.3 population, while also generating a mass famine and spread of disease. It is accused of genocide over its actions at the International Court of Justice.​​​​​​​