'Israel has responsibility to do everything possible to avoid civilian casualties, even if Hamas was operating near hospital,' says Linda Thomas-Greenfield
The US ambassador to the UN on Wednesday called on Israel to uphold its humanitarian responsibilities in Gaza, warning against any “policy of starvation.”
"A 'policy of starvation' in northern Gaza would be horrific and unacceptable and would have implications under international law and US law," Linda Thomas-Greenfield said at a UN Security Council session on the situation in Palestine.
"This weekend, like so many of you – like so many people around the world – I watched in horror as images from Central Gaza poured across my screen," she said, referring to graphic images of patients "burning alive" after an Israeli airstrike on the courtyard of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the central Gaza Strip.
"There are no words, simply no words, to describe what we saw," she said, and urged Israel to "do everything possible to avoid civilian casualties, even if Hamas was operating near the hospital in an attempt to use civilians as human shields."
Saying the US had made it clear to Israel that food and supplies must flow into Gaza without delay, she said: "Food and supplies must be surged into Gaza, immediately. And there must be humanitarian pauses across Gaza to allow for vaccinations and the delivery and distribution of humanitarian aid."
Thomas-Greenfield also criticized Israel's recent evacuation orders and stressed the importance of international cooperation to prevent forced displacement.
"All parties must abide by Resolution 2720 and reject any forced displacement of the civilian population, which would violate international law," she added.
She reiterated the need to protect civilians, and said: "Civilians are protected under international humanitarian law and may not be declared as combatants if they fail to evacuate."
With winter looming, the diplomat called for urgent steps to restore basic services in Gaza, adding, "Israeli authorities should be working with the UN and the international community on a plan for civilians to move inland."
"Israel must also cooperate with the UN and the international community to lay the foundation for the reconstruction of Gaza. Because civilians must be allowed to return, including to northern Gaza, to rebuild their lives," she said.
