Huckabee justifies food blockade to people he once said don’t exist

U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, acknowledged Monday that Israel is blocking humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza, which is a war crime under international law, including the Geneva Convention and the Rome Statute.

The ambassador’s statement came after direct pressure from the World Health Organization to end the almost two-month blockade. Additionally, multiple heads of United Nations agencies released a joint statement earlier in the month, saying “with the tightened Israeli blockade on Gaza now in its second month, we appeal to world leaders to act – firmly, urgently and decisively – to ensure the basic principles of international humanitarian law are upheld.”

Indeed, most aid agencies have ended operations in the strip, and agency officials have reported that children are suffering from severe malnutrition, often eating only one meal a day.

“This action would further aggravate conditions of life calculated to destroy the Palestinian population of Gaza. No one benefits from this—not the Palestinians, not the Israelis, not the North Americans—none of us. Together, we can stop this monstrosity,” said Francesca Albanese, U.N. Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, in her response. She also reminded the ambassador that blocking humanitarian aid was a war crime.

“This is a flagrant violation of both international law and American law. It is atrocious that an American diplomat would express full-throated support for such an atrocity,” commented the Quincy Institute’s Annelle Sheline.

The cease-fire agreements and proposals on the table have never conditioned aid upon the release of all hostages. In fact, Hamas has offered the release of all hostages under different proposals. Additionally, Benjamin Netanyahu has thwarted the process itself with new demands.

“They (Netanyahu’s government) are not interested in reaching a deal, so no 'pressure' on Hamas is going to change their thinking,” said Sheline.