The United Nations human rights chief says the emergence of famine in northern Gaza is the “direct result of actions taken by the Israeli government” and the deaths from starvation might amount to a war crime, Al Jazeera reports.

“The famine declared today in Gaza Governorate by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification is the direct result of actions taken by the Israeli government,” Volker Turk said in a statement to reporters.

“It is a war crime to use starvation as a method of warfare, and the resulting deaths may also amount to the war crime of willful killing.”