Former UN chief's labelling of Gaza war as 'genocide' marks extraordinary shift
In a stark and direct intervention, Martin Griffiths, the former UN humanitarian chief, has described the situation in Gaza as genocide.
The statement, made during an interview I conducted with Griffiths on The World, marks one of the most pointed accusations yet from a figure known to be deeply embedded in the world of international politics and diplomacy.
"I think now we've got to the point this is unequivocal. Of course it is genocide. Just as it is weaponising aid.
"We don't need to look behind ourselves to see that's the case. That should encourage us even more because we, of course, all doubted whether it would come to that level of definition.
"We all doubted whether famine is actually there. I think starvation is killing people. That's bad enough. We don't have to worry about famine, which is obviously there lurking in the shadows.
"Also, genocide… of course that's what has happened. We only need to look at the statements made. Prime Minister Netanyahu has the virtue of being very clear about his objectives."
3:14
His choice of words is extraordinary - not just for its gravity, but because it's Griffiths who is saying it.
A veteran diplomat with decades of experience navigating complex international crises, Griffiths is known for his calm and thoughtful demeanour - not for inflammatory language.
For him to use the term "genocide" in a television interview signals a significant shift in how some within the international system are now interpreting events on the ground in Gaza - 20 months since Israel launched its war.
4:40
The timing is also noteworthy.
Just weeks earlier, Tom Fletcher, another respected former British ambassador and current UN humanitarian chief, came close to using the phrase during a UN Security Council session.
He said: "What more evidence do you need now? Will you act decisively to prevent genocide and to ensure respect for international humanitarian law? Or will you say instead: 'we did all we could?'"
Whilst he stopped short, his tone showed a clear change in how leading international figures now view the direction of Israeli military operations in Gaza; staggering civilian deaths, and the statements made by Israeli officials prosecuting this war.
31:58
Griffiths' remarks now go a step further.
It comes as the British government continues to grapple with public anger over the mounting civilian toll - and faces growing scrutiny over its continued arms exports to Israel.
6:00
This latest statement by Griffiths doesn't just reflect humanitarian concern.
As a former ambassador, he knows the weight his words carry.
And with the humanitarian crisis in Gaza worsening, his warning challenges Israel's allies to ask deeply uncomfortable questions.
South Africa to the International Court of Justice last year - accusing its actions in Gaza of amounting to genocide - called the claims "unfounded", "absurd" and amounting to "libel".
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Telegraph
an hour ago
- Telegraph
Iranian state media use Lego to demonstrate attacks on Israel
Iranian state media has published a video featuring Lego characters launching destructive missile strikes on Israel. The clip, released by a news agency controlled by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard, shows Lego figures of Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu speaking to the Devil before a barrage of missiles rains down on Israeli buildings and citizens. A Lego US president is also shown eating a burger while arguing with the Israeli prime minister. The video is the latest attempt at anti-Western propaganda from Tehran and depicts an Israeli flag burning while Lego figures in other Arabic countries celebrate. 'We're the ones who control the game,' a message at the end of the video says, which was published on social media by Fars, Iran's state-backed news agency. The clip has been published as part of an ongoing propaganda battle between Israel and Iran, as both countries attempt to win support from audiences on social media. Just days ago, an official Israeli government account shared a video on X showing Lego Mossad agents, missiles and warplanes blowing up Iran's nuclear facilities. An Israeli government X account said the video was 'presented by artificial intelligence ... clearly showcasing the precise planning and technological capabilities on the Israeli side'. خططوا لطوفان الأقصى وحصدوا طوفان #إيران. شاهد هذا الفيديو عملية #الأسد_الصاعد يقدمها الذكاء الإصطناعي بلا سردية مسموعة لكن بشكل واضح يستعرض فيها التخطيط الدقيق والقدرات التكنولوجية في الجانب الإسرائيلي والاستخبارات الممتازة التي فاجأت نظام الملالي ودمرت بسرعة هائلة اهداف عسكرية… — إسرائيل بالعربية (@IsraelArabic) June 15, 2025 Both Lego-themed videos were set to the theme song of 'Tehran', a popular Israeli television show about Mossad agents trying to stop Iran from building a nuclear bomb. It is not clear whether AI tools were used to create the videos. Lego has a long-standing anti-war stance. The company's 'product ideas' page, which encourages Lego fans to submit proposals for new sets, bans products related to 'warfare or war vehicles in any modern or present-day situation'. While some of its products feature potentially violent themes, such as the Star Wars universe or fantasy knights, it has steered clear of modern weapons. Opposed to 'glorifying conflicts' The Danish toy company has previously said that its products should 'not be associated with issues that glorify conflicts'. The Lego-inspired videos follow a flood of fake AI images and videos on social media since Israel's first strikes on Iran on June 12. This includes Iranian influencers widely sharing a fake image of a downed Israeli fighter jet, as well as hoax videos depicting bombed-out buildings with the caption 'Doomsday in Tel Aviv'. The Telegraph reported earlier this week that Israel has been targeting Western audiences with adverts on YouTube warning that Europe could be targeted by Iranian nuclear weapons.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Iran and Israel continue attacks as diplomatic talks fail
Iran and Israel traded daytime missile attacks on Friday, concluding a week of relentless bombing and escalating tensions. Iran 's foreign minister stated his country would not negotiate with the US as long as Israel continued airstrikes, maintaining Iran 's nuclear program is peaceful. Iranian ballistic missiles struck a building near Haifa, injuring at least 17 people, prompting a warning of revenge from Iran 's religious ruler, Ali Khamenei. Israel reported conducting multiple airstrikes on Iran, targeting industrial sites for missile manufacturing and a research agency linked to potential nuclear device development. Diplomatic talks in Geneva involving Iran, the EU, and the UK showed no breakthrough, with the UK urging Iran to engage in diplomacy with the US within a two-week window.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
A deadly race for food: Palestinians in Gaza risk harrowing journey day after day
Each day, Palestinians in Gaza run a deadly gantlet in hopes of getting food. Israeli troops open barrages of gunfire toward crowds crossing military zones to get to the aid, they say, and knife-wielding thieves wait to ambush those who succeed. Palestinians say lawlessness is growing as they are forced into a competition to feed their families. A lucky few manage to secure some packets of lentils, a jar of Nutella or a bag of flour. Many return empty-handed and must attempt the ordeal again the next day. 'This isn't aid. It's humiliation. It's death,' said Jamil Atili, his face shining with sweat as he made his way back last week from a food center run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, an Israeli-backed private contractor. He had suffered a knife cut across his cheek amid the scramble for food and said a contractor guard pepper-sprayed him in the face. Still, he emerged with nothing for his 13 family members. 'I have nothing to feed my children,' he said, nearly crying. 'My heart is broken.' Israel began allowing food into Gaza this past month after cutting it off completely for 10 weeks, though United Nations officials say it is not enough to stave off starvation. Most of the supplies go to GHF, which operates four food distribution points inside Israeli military zones. A trickle of aid goes to the U.N. and humanitarian groups. Both systems are mired in chaos. Daily gunfire by Israeli troops toward crowds on the roads heading to the GHF centers has killed several hundred people and wounded hundreds more in past weeks, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. At the same time, in past weeks, hungry crowds overwhelm most of the U.N.'s truck convoys and strip away the supplies. Israeli troops have opened fire to disperse crowds waiting for trucks near military zones, witnesses say — and on Tuesday, more than 50 people were killed, according to the ministry. The Israeli military says it is investigating. 'I don't see how it can get any worse, because it is already apocalyptic. But somehow it does get worse,' said Olga Cherevko, spokesperson for the U.N. humanitarian affairs office. Israel and GHF downplay the violence Israel says it has only fired warning shots at suspects who approached its forces along the roads to the GHF food centers. Palestinian witnesses say the troops fire to prevent crowds from moving past a certain point before the centers open or because people leave the road designated by the military. They describe heavy barrages from tanks, snipers, drones and even guns mounted on cranes. Asked how its soldiers control movement, the military told The Associated Press its 'operational conduct ... is accompanied by systematic learning processes.' It said it was looking into safety measures like fences and road signs. GHF says no shootings have taken place in or near its hubs. A spokesperson, speaking on condition of anonymity under GHF rules, said incidents take place before sites open involving aid-seekers who move 'during prohibited times ... or trying to take a short cut.' They said GHF is trying to improve safety, in part by changing opening times to daylight hours. Israel intends for GHF to replace the U.N.-led aid network in Gaza, contending that Hamas diverts large amounts of aid from it. The U.N. denies the claim. Ducking under fire Thousands of people must walk miles to reach the GHF centers, three of which are in the far south outside the city of Rafah. Palestinians said the danger begins when the crowds enter the Israeli military zone encompassing Rafah. Mohammed Saqer, a father of three who risked the trip multiple times, said that when he went last week, tanks were firing over the heads of the crowds as drone announcements told everyone to move back. It's 'like it was 'Squid Game,'' Saqer said, referring to the dystopian thriller TV series in which contestants risk their lives to win a prize. Just raising your head might mean death, he said. He and others crawled forward, then left the main road. A shot rang out nearby and they ducked, he said. They found a young man on the ground, shot in the back. The others assumed he was dead, but Saqer felt his chest — it was still warm, and he found a pulse. They carried him to a point where a car could pick him up. Saqer said he stood for a moment, traumatized by the scene. Then people shouted that the site had opened. The mad dash Everyone broke into a crazed run, he said. He saw several people wounded on the ground. One man, bleeding from his abdomen, reached out his hand, pleading for help. No one stopped. 'Everyone is just running to get to the aid, to get there first,' Saqer said. Omar al-Hobi described the same scene the four times he went last week. Twice, he returned empty-handed; once, he managed to grab a pack of lentils. On the fourth day, he was determined to secure flour for his three children and pregnant wife. He said he and others inched their way forward under tank fire. He saw several people shot in the legs. One man fell bleeding to the ground, apparently dead, he said. Horrified, al-Hobi froze, unable to move, 'but I remembered I have to feed my children.' He took cover in a greenhouse, then heard the announcement that the center was open and began to run. Avoiding thieves At the center, food boxes are stacked on the ground in an area surrounded by fences and earthen berms. Thousands rush in to grab what they can in a frantic melee. You have to move fast, Saqer said. Once supplies run out, some of those who came too late rob those leaving. He swiftly tore open a box and loaded the contents into a sack — juice, chickpeas, lentils, cheese, beans, flour and cooking oil. Then he took off running. There's only one route in and out of the center. But, knowing thieves waited outside, Saqer clambered over a berm, running the risk of being fired on by Israeli troops. 'It all depends on the soldiers' mood. If they are in a bad mood … they will shoot at me. If not, they will let me be,' he said. Heba Jouda said she saw a group of men beat up a boy of 12 or 13 years old and take his food as she left one of the Rafah centers. Another time, she said, thieves attacked an older man, who hugged his sack, weeping that his children had no food. They sliced his arm with a knife and ran off with the sack. The finish line Al-Hobi said he was trampled in the scramble for boxes. He managed to grab a bag of rice, a packet of macaroni. He snagged flour — but much of it was ruined in the chaos. At his family tent outside Khan Younis, his wife, Anwaar Saleh, said she will ration it all to make it last a week or so. 'We hope he doesn't have to go back. His life is the most important thing,' she said. Al-Hobi remains shaken — both by his brushes with death and the callousness that the race for food has instilled in everyone. 'No one will show you mercy these days. Everybody fends for themselves.' ___ El Deeb reported from Beirut, Keath from Cairo. AP correspondent Samy Magdy in Cairo contributed.
