GENEVA-BRUSSELS, 22nd August, 2025 (WAM) -- The United Nations has described the famine in Gaza as the "famine of the 21st century" and a "war crime", holding Israel directly responsible for the humanitarian catastrophe.

Volker Trk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said the declared famine in Gaza is the direct result of unlawful restrictions imposed by the Israeli government on the entry and distribution of aid, stressing that the use of starvation as a weapon constitutes a war crime and that deaths caused by it amount to deliberate killings.

In a joint statement, UN organisations including FAO, UNICEF, the World Food Programme and the World Health Organisation called for an immediate ceasefire and for unhindered humanitarian access.

The statement noted that more than half a million people in Gaza are suffering from famine, which is expected to spread to Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis within weeks, alongside a sharp rise in cases of malnutrition and hunger-related deaths.

Martin Griffiths, UN Former Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, warned that the Gaza famine will remain a global stain and the result of a deliberate denial of food and aid. He demanded Israel open the crossings immediately to allow relief to flow, stressing that this tragedy was entirely preventable were it not for systematic obstacles.

Meanwhile, Green Party members in the European Parliament warned of the commission of "genocide" in Gaza, calling for the suspension of the EU-Israel partnership agreement, the imposition of immediate sanctions, and the guarantee of humanitarian access. They accused the European Union of failing to respond to the catastrophe, undermining its moral credibility.