Israeli minister claims starvation of Palestinians could be morally justified

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has sparked outrage by suggesting it might be “justified and moral” to let two million Palestinians in Gaza starve.

He said it will bring pressure on Hamas to return Israeli prisoners.

Smotrich’s comments at a conference hosted by right-wing news outlet Israel Hayom have been condemned as genocidal by critics, including Palestinian-American experts and human rights groups.

They argue that Israel’s restriction of aid to Gaza and the resulting famine amount to a “targeted starvation campaign.”

Peace Now, an anti-occupation group, has called for international sanctions against Smotrich.

Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, a Palestinian-American fellow at the Atlantic Council, said Smotrich’s comments indicate a genocidal intent to kill all of the people of Gaza.

Jehad Abusalim, executive director of the Institute for Palestine Studies, said Smotrich’s comments were “horrifying but not surprising.”

The International Court of Justice has ordered Israel to stop its actions and comply with humanitarian standards.