EU's Borrell Says Hunger Being Used as 'War Arm' in Gaza

Boys peek out of a torn mat at the al-Shati camp for Palestinian refugees in Gaza City. (AFP)
Boys peek out of a torn mat at the al-Shati camp for Palestinian refugees in Gaza City. (AFP)
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EU's Borrell Says Hunger Being Used as 'War Arm' in Gaza

Boys peek out of a torn mat at the al-Shati camp for Palestinian refugees in Gaza City. (AFP)
Boys peek out of a torn mat at the al-Shati camp for Palestinian refugees in Gaza City. (AFP)

EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell criticized the lack of aid entering Gaza as a "manmade" disaster on Tuesday, telling the UN Security Council that hunger was being used as a "war arm."

"This humanitarian crisis... is not a natural disaster, is not a flood, is not an earthquake, it is manmade," said Borrell at UN headquarters in New York.

The EU official has repeatedly criticized Israel over its conduct during the war in Gaza, which has killed more than 31,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry.

With aid entering Gaza by land far below pre-war levels and relief agencies warning of famine, foreign governments have turned to airdrops and are also trying to set up a maritime aid corridor, AFP reported.

"When we look for alternative ways of providing support, by sea or by air, we have to remind that we have to do it because the natural way of providing support through roads is being closed, artificially closed," said Borrell, a former Spanish minister.

"Starvation is being used as a war arm," he said, adding that "when we condemn this happening in Ukraine, we have to use the same words of what's happening in Gaza."



Israeli Military Destroys Hezbollah Rocket Launchers in Southern Lebanon

Seized military equipment and weapons are displayed for the media at Amiad military camp, northern Israel, 31 December 2024. According to the Israeli army, the equipment and weapons were uncovered throughout the ground operation in south Lebanon. (EPA)
Seized military equipment and weapons are displayed for the media at Amiad military camp, northern Israel, 31 December 2024. According to the Israeli army, the equipment and weapons were uncovered throughout the ground operation in south Lebanon. (EPA)
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Israeli Military Destroys Hezbollah Rocket Launchers in Southern Lebanon

Seized military equipment and weapons are displayed for the media at Amiad military camp, northern Israel, 31 December 2024. According to the Israeli army, the equipment and weapons were uncovered throughout the ground operation in south Lebanon. (EPA)
Seized military equipment and weapons are displayed for the media at Amiad military camp, northern Israel, 31 December 2024. According to the Israeli army, the equipment and weapons were uncovered throughout the ground operation in south Lebanon. (EPA)

The Israeli military said on Thursday that it had attacked and destroyed medium-range rocket launchers at a Hezbollah military site in southern Lebanon.

The military said in a statement that before the strike it had sent a request to Lebanon's army to destroy the launchers and that the launchers were only attacked after the Lebanese side failed to act.

The Lebanese army did not immediately respond to a request for comment.