Blocking of humanitarian aid can result in several ways. It can be imposed on a region by foreign governments or non-state actors, but it can also result from the lack of consent for assistance by the host nation. Blocking of humanitarian aid to intentionally cause destruction of part or all of a population can amount to the
crime against humanity
Crimes against humanity are certain serious crimes committed as part of a large-scale attack against civilians. Unlike war crimes, crimes against humanity can be committed during both peace and war and against a state's own nationals as well as ...
of
extermination
Extermination or exterminate may refer to:
* Pest control, elimination of insects or vermin
* Extermination (crime), the killing of human on a large scale
* Genocide, at least one of five "acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in par ...
. If, however, the humanitarian aid (e.g., medical supplies, food, clothing) is systematically diverted for military use by enemy combatants during war, then allowing the passage of humanitarian aid is not required, as explained in
Article 23 of the Fourth Geneva Convention. There are different interpretations of how the
requirement of proportionality should determine the extent to which a siege to block such aid can legally be carried out.
References
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Crimes against humanity by type