Children in the Gaza Strip.

Photo: AFP.

Human rights experts from the United Nations (UN) condemned this Wednesday the massacre perpetrated by the Israeli occupation forces, which on February 29

killed at least 118 Palestinians while they were waiting for the arrival of food,

in the middle of the famine generated by the Zionist blockade of the Gaza Strip.

“Israel has been intentionally starving the Palestinian people in Gaza since October 8.

Now it is targeting civilians seeking humanitarian aid and humanitarian convoys,” they denounced.

They also urged Tel Aviv to “end its campaign of hunger and attacks against civilians.”

Following the deployment by the Palestinian resistance of Operation Al-Aqsa Deluge, Tel Aviv blocked the arrival of fuel, food, water, medicine and other vital supplies to the 2.2 million Palestinians residing in Gaza.

“We have said before:

we are alarmed to see an entire civilian population suffer an unprecedented famine, so quickly and completely

,” they denounced.

Furthermore, they noted that they have “been saying for months that widespread famine is imminent in Gaza.”

They stressed that “humanitarian aid should not be used as a bargaining chip in negotiations” and expressed that “

the provision of humanitarian aid is the minimum basic humanitarian obligation that Israel must unconditionally provide

. ”

Meanwhile, they pointed out that the occupation forces do not respect their international legal obligations, do not comply with the provisional measures of the International Court of Justice and are "committing atrocious crimes."

The experts stressed that the recent air drops of food rations “accomplished little and that the only way to prevent or end this famine is an immediate and permanent ceasefire,” allowing hundreds of trucks with humanitarian aid to enter the Palestinian territory.

“We reiterate our previous call by the UN Special Procedures for an arms embargo and sanctions on Israel, as part of the duty of all States to ensure respect for human rights and stop violations of international humanitarian law by Israel. ", they stated.

(Taken from Telesur)