BRUSSELS - The EU and France condemned a far-right Israeli minister for suggesting it would be “justified and moral” to starve two million Gazans to free scores of captives held in the besieged enclave.

“No one in the world will allow us to starve two million people, even though it might be justified and moral in order to free the hostages,” Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said at a conference earlier this week.

Smotrich’s remarks sparked outrage in the international community, with the EU saying the deliberate starvation of civilians was a “war crime”.

“It demonstrates, once again, his contempt for international law and for basic principles of humanity,” the EU said in a statement. “We expect the Israeli government to unequivocally distance itself from the words of Minister Smotrich.”

France also criticised Smotrich, expressing its “deep dismay at the scandalous remarks”.