The UN Human Rights Council has condemned Israel’s renewed offensive in Gaza and demanded the country uphold its responsibility to “prevent genocide” in the Palestinian territory, AFP reports.

The United Nations’ top rights body overwhelmingly adopted a resolution putting forth a list of demands to Israel, including calling on it to “lift its illegal blockade” on Gaza.

The text, adopted with 27 of the council’s 47 members voting in favour, four against and 16 abstaining, deplored “the violation by Israel of the ceasefire agreement”.

The resolution, put forward by most members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, demanded “unimpeded humanitarian assistance and the urgent restoration of basic necessities” to Gaza.

It slammed “the use of starvation of civilians as a method of warfare”, and called on all countries “to take immediate action to prevent the continued forcible transfer of Palestinians within or from the Gaza Strip”.

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