Recent statements by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, in which he advocated cutting off water, electricity, and food supplies to Gaza, have drawn international condemnation. Critics say his words amount to an explicit endorsement of policies that endanger civilian lives and suggest the continuation of a campaign of collective punishment.

Smotrich’s remarks, including claims that “those who don’t die by gunfire will die of hunger” and suggestions that Gaza’s population issue could be addressed through voluntary emigration, have been widely interpreted as a justification for the siege and ongoing military assaults. Observers note that such strategies, targeting essential resources and infrastructure, constitute severe breaches of international law, including the Geneva Conventions and the Rome Statute.

Analysts warn that these statements reveal a broader strategy of forced displacement and systematic pressure on Gaza’s civilian population. Over the past two years, repeated strikes on aid centres, destruction of infrastructure, and blockades of vital supplies have exacerbated the humanitarian crisis. Many call for urgent international intervention and accountability measures to prevent further civilian suffering and ensure that those responsible are prosecuted for crimes under international law.