Israel's Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich: Death of 2 million Palestinians in Gaza from hunger "may be just and moral"
Smotrich said in statements reported by Israel's Channel 12, "No one will allow us to cause the death of two million civilians from starvation, even if it is just and morally just, until our hostages are returned."
He added that it is impossible to destroy the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) militarily and civilly without controlling humanitarian aid.
He continued, "We are bringing aid (to Gaza) because there is no other option," calling for the Israeli army to assume responsibility for distributing international humanitarian aid in Gaza during the war.
The Israeli Finance Minister also renewed his opposition to concluding any ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement with the Palestinian factions in Gaza, saying, "I believe that they should not be released... They will return to killing Jews," according to his expression.
Tel Aviv holds no less than 9,500 Palestinians in its prisons, and estimates that there are 115 Israeli prisoners in Gaza.
Some Western governments react
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said that starving civilians in the Gaza Strip is a war crime, expressing his expectation that the Israeli government will condemn the statements of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a position that was expressed by the European Union.
Lammy explained: "International law could not be clearer... the deliberate starvation of civilians is a war crime."
The British Foreign Secretary called for an "immediate ceasefire" in Gaza, in his first position after his appointment.
Lammy said that he "will work to support an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the release of the hostages," adding, "I will do everything in my power to help US President Joe Biden achieve a ceasefire."
European condemnation
In a related context, the European Union strongly condemned Smotrich's statements. The European Union's foreign and security policy chief, Josep Borrell, said in a statement that the deliberate starvation of civilians constitutes a war crime.
He added that "Smotrich's statement proves once again his contempt for international law and basic principles of humanity," stressing that talk about allowing Israel to cause the death of two million civilians from starvation until the hostages are returned is immoral.
He continued, "We expect the Israeli government to unequivocally distance itself from Minister Smotrich's words."
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich considered - last Monday - that the death of two million Palestinians from starvation in the Gaza Strip "may be just and moral to return the Israeli prisoners," he claimed.
Smotrich said - in statements reported by Israel's Channel 12 - "No one will allow us to cause the death of two million civilians from starvation, even if it is just and moral, until our hostages are returned."
He added that it is impossible to destroy the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) militarily and civilly without controlling humanitarian aid.
Month ago, Human Rights Watch found evidence that Israel used Starvation as Weapon of War in Gaza
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