Egypt's El Sisi accuses Israel of using hunger as a weapon in Gaza

President laments world's helplessness in the face of the 'blatant violation of human rights' and mounting deaths in the enclave

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, who also called on Europe to play a more assertive role in the search for an end to the Gaza war. EPA

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi on Wednesday denounced the use of “hunger as a weapon” in the Gaza war, describing the Israeli tactic as “very, very grave”.

Egypt, which borders both Gaza and Israel, has, together with the United States and Qatar, been trying for months to broker a ceasefire and the release of Israeli and other hostages held by Hamas.

Its relations with Israel have been fraught with tension since the war broke out 11 months ago. They were further strained in May when Israel captured the Palestinian side of the land crossing between Egypt and Gaza along with a narrow strip running the length of the Arab nation's border with the coastal enclave, called Salah Al Din.

In protest, Egypt closed the land crossing at Rafah through which much of the humanitarian assistance reaching Gaza passed.

“Hunger is being used as a weapon against the Palestinians and that's a very, very grave matter that has massive impact on the credibility and values of human rights,” Mr El Sisi told a joint news conference with visiting German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, whose country is among Israel's staunchest supporters in Europe.

“It's a blatant violation of human rights that's happening within our earshot and in full sight of all of us and we cannot do anything about it,” he lamented.

Most of Gaza's 2.3 million residents are facing hunger, with the north of the enclave worst-hit, as the war rages on unabated with more than 41,000 Palestinians killed and more than twice that number wounded.

Germany is one of Egypt's largest European trade partners, with joint transport and energy projects worth billions of dollars. Egypt has also been buying weapons from Germany, including submarines.

Mr El Sisi called on Europe to play a more assertive role in the search for an end to the Gaza war. “It's very, very important that Europe exerts a large effort at this point to pressure the relevant parties.”