Josep Borrell
Josep BorrellReuters

EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell on Tuesday levelled new accusations at Israel, telling the UN Security Council that hunger was being used as a "war arm" and criticizing the lack of aid entering Gaza as a "manmade" disaster, AFP reported.

"This humanitarian crisis... is not a natural disaster, is not a flood, is not an earthquake, it is manmade," Borrell said.

"When we look for alternative ways of providing support, by sea or by air, we have to remind that we have to do it because the natural way of providing support through roads is being closed, artificially closed," he added.

"Starvation is being used as a war arm," charged Borrell, adding that "when we condemn this happening in Ukraine, we have to use the same words of what's happening in Gaza."

The EU official has repeatedly criticized Israel over its conduct during the war in Gaza. In January, he asserted that Israel had "created" and "financed" Hamas. Last week, he repeated that claim when pressed about it by reporters.

Borrell previously condemned Hamas for using "hospitals and civilians as human shields" in Gaza, but also urged Israel to show "maximum restraint" to protect civilians from the war it is waging against Hamas.

In February, the EU foreign affairs chief urged allies of Israel -- primarily the United States -- to stop sending it weapons as "too many people" are being killed in Gaza.