UN RAPPORTEUR: 'ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER, SANCTION ISRAEL NOW'

Michael Fakhri, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, recently spoke to the United Nations' Human Rights Council in Geneva about Israeli violations taking place in the Gaza Strip.

The UN has said the northern Gaza Strip's people are at risk of famine. The international body has reported 27 children have died of malnutrition and dehydration since 7 October in the Gaza Strip. Further, one out of every three children in northern Gaza suffer acute malnutrition, a spike from the 15.6 per cent figure reported in January.

Reports say Israel has blocked aid trucks from entering. Those that have entered have faced military assault, as in the case of the 'Flour Massacre' that killed 118 Palestinians on 29 February. This came a month after the International Court of Justice ruled that Israel was 'plausibly' committing genocide in a case South Africa argued. The court asked Israel to take steps to avoid genocidal acts. However, Israel has killed more than 6,000 people since that provisional ruling, bringing the total deaths to more than 32,000.

Fakhri called on these states to impose sanctions on Israel and cut financial aid, weapons shipments and diplomatic ties.

On 25 March, the United Nations Security Council approved an immediate ceasefire to last through the Muslim month of fasting, Ramadan, which is set to end in two weeks. It also called for the flow of aid and the release of 134 Israeli hostages in Gaza.