Israeli Minister calls starving Gazans ‘moral’ amid outrage over prisoner abuse

Despite being explicit in their violation of human rights to validate their war on Palestinians, as documented in the sexual and other assaults of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails in a recent UN report, which has also been vocalized by an Israeli minister who justified starving two million Gazans, the countries that support Israel seem to be compliant in their view with Israel.

However, the European Union, France, and the United Kingdom have sharply criticized Bezalel Smotrich, Israel's finance minister, for his recent comments suggesting that it might be 'justified and moral' to starve the population of Gaza. Smotrich argued that such measures could be considered necessary to secure the release of hostages, despite the severe humanitarian implications.

The remarks have sparked a fierce international backlash. The European Union has condemned the idea of deliberately starving civilians as a "war crime" and has called on the Israeli government to clearly distance itself from the minister's statements. France has also voiced strong criticism, emphasizing that providing humanitarian aid to Gaza is not just a moral obligation but a requirement under international humanitarian law, given Israel's control over access to the territory.

In a related development, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy has urged the broader Israeli government to retract and denounce the controversial comments. The international community's reaction underscores growing concerns over the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Compounding the controversy, the US State Department has demanded a thorough investigation into allegations of sexual abuse by Israeli soldiers against Palestinian detainees. The call for accountability comes in response to a video aired by Israeli media, which purportedly shows soldiers removing a detainee from surveillance cameras to perpetrate abuse. The State Department has emphasized that such abuses are unacceptable and that there should be zero tolerance for any form of sexual violence or mistreatment.

The White House has echoed these concerns, describing the reports of rape, torture, and abuse of Palestinian prisoners as "deeply concerning." The Israeli military, responsible for some detention facilities holding Palestinian prisoners, has stated that it adheres to legal standards and investigates any specific claims of abuse.

The emergence of this video coincides with an ongoing investigation by Israeli authorities into allegations of abuse by soldiers. This investigation has led to protests by right-wing Israelis, who have clashed with military police and broken into military facilities after the detention of nine soldiers accused of severe abuse at the Sde Teiman detention facility in southern Israel.

In response to these allegations, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) has announced that it is conducting a thorough investigation. While the IDF has stated that it will not comment on the investigation's outcome until it is complete, it has affirmed that any proven violations of criminal laws or military conduct will be met with accountability.

Adding to the controversy, a recent report by Israeli rights group B’Tselem has highlighted systemic abuse within Israel’s prison system. According to the report, the mistreatment of Palestinian prisoners has become so pervasive that it could be considered a policy of "institutionalized abuse."