Senior US official appears to endorse collective punishment of Gazans

Brett McGurk , the White House Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa , said more humanitarian aid would be allowed into Gaza if Hamas released the hostages it is holding.

Human Rights Watch and other groups had made clear that collective punishment is not permissible under international law.

Refugee International: This is a hugely damaging and counterproductive position.

“But the surge in humanitarian relief, the surge in fuel, the pause in fighting will come when hostages are released.” McGurk repeated the Biden administration’s oft-stated position that Israel should follow international law. But he made no effort to explain how that charge was was compatible with the support for collective punishment he detailed in his own speech..