Labour is asking the Government why it is silent on Israel’s deliberate use of starvation as a weapon of war in Gaza, saying New Zealand should be speaking out.

“We haven’t heard a peep out of the Government while Israel’s blockade causes starvation and their military kills civilians,” Labour associate foreign affairs spokesperson Phil Twyford said.

“Israel has killed more than 52,000 people in its 19-month assault on Gaza, and a two-month aid blockade has caused widespread hunger and a breakdown of law and order, as people become more and more desperate to feed their families.

“New Zealand used to be known as a country of principle, with a strong commitment to international law. But the silence from the Beehive on Israel’s relentless assault on Gaza calls that into question.

“New Zealand and our likeminded friends around the world must stand up for the things we value: human rights, justice, and international law. All of these values are being flouted in Gaza by Israel’s brutal and vicious war which seems designed to drive Palestinians out of Gaza,” Phil Twyford said.

© Scoop Media