The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) issued a scathing condemnation of Israel’s ongoing siege and military campaign in Gaza, describing the crisis as a “man-made catastrophe” driving over 2.3 million Palestinians toward famine, disease, and death.

In a press release on Friday, CERD highlighted the deliberate destruction of Gaza’s food, water, and electricity infrastructure, warning that the blockade is pushing vulnerable groups—children, women, and the elderly—to the brink of extermination.

CERD’s statement, invoking its early warning mechanisms, accused Israel of violating international law through war crimes, crimes against humanity, and potential genocide. The committee pointed to indiscriminate bombings, mass displacement, and the systematic denial of humanitarian aid as evidence of a broader campaign of racial discrimination and dehumanization. The crisis extends beyond Gaza, with similar patterns of violence and ethnic cleansing reported in the Occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.

The announcement coincides with World Central Kitchen’s closure of its last soup kitchens in Gaza due to a complete lack of food supplies, a direct result of Israel’s blockade. The Gaza Government Media Office reports tens of thousands of children hospitalized with severe malnutrition, with communities resorting to animal feed and contaminated water to survive.

CERD called for an immediate ceasefire, the opening of humanitarian corridors, and global action to halt military support for Israel. “All states share a legal and moral responsibility to prevent genocide,” the committee urged, demanding accountability for perpetrators and solidarity with Palestinians. The UN’s stark warning underscores the urgency of addressing what it calls a “slow-motion atrocity” unfolding under the world’s watch. (ILKHA)