The European Union, France and Britain have strongly condemned the statements of Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich (far-right), who said that "letting the people of the Gaza Strip die of hunger" could be "justified and moral."

During a seminar held Monday on the future of the Gaza Strip, where Israel has been waging a war for 10 months against Hamas, the Israeli minister said that "no one in the world will allow us to starve two million people, even though this may be justified and moral in order to release the hostages" held in the Strip since Hamas launched its unprecedented attack on the Hebrew state on October 7.

"We are allowing humanitarian aid in because we have no other choice. We are in a field that requires international legitimacy to wage this war," he added.

Smotrich's statement sparked angry reactions in the international community.

The European Union said in a statement that it "strongly condemns" these statements.

He added that Minister Smotrich's statement that it "might be justified and moral" to allow Israel to "starve two million civilians to death" until "the hostages are returned" is "absolutely shameful."

The European Union stressed in its statement that "we expect the Israeli government to unequivocally distance itself from Minister Smotrich's statements."

For its part, France expressed its "deep dismay at the outrageous statements" made by Smotrich.

"France calls on the Israeli government to strongly condemn these unacceptable statements," a French Foreign Ministry spokesman said in a statement read to reporters.

In London, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said via X that for the UK, "there can be no justification for Minister Smotrich's comments."

The British minister called on the Israeli government to "retract and condemn his statements," adding that deliberately starving civilians "is a war crime."