The U.N. special rapporteur on the right to food has accused Israel of committing war crimes by intentionally depriving food to Gaza. The official, Michael Fakhri, told The Guardian, “Israel has announced its intention to destroy the Palestinian people, in whole or in part, simply for being Palestinian. In my view as a U.N. human rights expert, this is now a situation of genocide.”

This comes as the United Nations is warning a quarter of all Palestinians in Gaza are one step away from famine. Ramesh Rajasingham, coordination director of the U.N.’s humanitarian office, spoke on Tuesday.

Ramesh Rajasingham: “And here we are at the end of February with at least 576,000 people in Gaza, one-quarter of the population, one step away from famine, with one in six children under 2 years of age in northern Gaza suffering from acute malnutrition and wasting.”

In Gaza City, residents have described dire conditions where children have no food to eat.

Umm Al-Ameer Shamalkh: “There is no food to feed my children, nor is there any bread. We came to the point where we are eating tree leaves. We are eating the food of this donkey. What more do you want? You are asking me why did I come here? I came because I want to take flour. Look, my leg is broken, and I came to take flour. I came to take flour. You are asking me why did I come? … I came yesterday, and people stepped over me. I came today even if I were to die. I want to take a bag of flour because I can’t feed my children. I don’t have anything to give my children to eat. Even if I die, I will stay.”