The UN human rights chief has said that Israel is carrying out “collective punishment” of civilians in Gaza, Sky News reports.

Volker Turk, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, said Israel and Hamas had committed war crimes.

“The atrocities committed by Palestinian armed groups on October 7 were horrific, they were war crimes, as was the continued holding of hostages,” Turk said.

“Israel’s collective punishment of Palestinian civilians is also a war crime, as is the illegal forced evacuation of civilians,” the UN representative concluded.

He echoed comments by UN chief Antonio Guterres, who said two weeks ago that Hamas attacks could not “justify the collective punishment” of the Palestinian people.

Critics of Israel’s actions say cutting off electricity and water in Gaza is collective punishment.

This is illegal under international law because it directly affects the civilian population.

The prohibition of collective punishment in international humanitarian law dates back to the Hague Convention (II) of 1899, which was ratified by Great Britain.

It assumes that “[nici o] general sanctions, monetary or otherwise, cannot be applied to the population as a result of the actions of individuals for which they cannot bear joint responsibility.”

The Fourth Geneva Convention, which has also been adopted by countries such as Israel, the UK and the US, contains a similar but more specific prohibition.

It says that “[nicio] a person defending himself cannot be punished for a crime he did not personally commit. Collective sanctions, as well as all measures of intimidation or terrorism are prohibited.”

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