TEHRAN – Iran’s Foreign Ministry has issued a forceful condemnation of the Israeli war in Gaza, denouncing the regime’s “genocidal brutality” and systematic starvation of civilians.

In a statement released Tuesday, the ministry expressed deep alarm over the rapidly worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza, attributing the crisis to “horrific crimes” committed by Israel. It accused the Israeli regime of using starvation as a weapon of war while continuing to carry out large-scale attacks on civilian areas and aid distribution centers.

“The ongoing siege, bombardment of displacement shelters, and targeting of food and water distribution points — which have become death traps for starving civilians — are undeniable proof of the Israeli apartheid regime’s brutality and the culpability of its international backers,” the statement read.

Citing recent reports, the ministry said more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed while waiting in food lines and another 600 have died from hunger — figures it described as “shocking evidence” of war crimes and deliberate efforts to exterminate the population.

The statement follows growing international concern about conditions in Gaza. On Tuesday alone, at least 15 Palestinians — including four children — reportedly died of starvation, while Israeli airstrikes killed another 81. United Nations agencies have warned of catastrophic levels of malnutrition, with UNICEF calling the situation a “horror show” marked by destruction and death on an unprecedented scale.

Referring to UN assessments, the Iranian ministry noted that 90% of Gaza has become uninhabitable, and more than 1.2 million people now face life-threatening food insecurity.

The Foreign Ministry also criticized the paralysis of the UN Security Council, blaming persistent U.S. obstruction for blocking international efforts to end the war. The statement highlighted the collapse of Gaza’s health system, a total blockade on food and medicine for more than five months, and what it called a deliberate campaign to erase the Palestinian population.

“A plan to annihilate the Palestinian people is being executed in its most horrific form by some of the most ruthless criminals in modern history,” the ministry said.

Tehran called on the international community — including the UN Human Rights Council, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the World Health Organization, and UNICEF — to urgently intervene and halt the suffering.

According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, Israel’s war has killed at least 59,106 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured more than 142,500 since October 2023.