BALTIMORE (VINnews) – Maryland Governor & potential Democrat Presidential Candidate Wes Moore accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of committing “war crimes” in Gaza but stopped short of labeling the conflict a genocide.

“I know as a military person that you cannot use food as a negotiating tool,” Moore said in a Politico interview. “That is a war crime.”

Moore, a former Army officer, made the remarks during a wide-ranging conversation with Politico senior political columnist Jonathan Martin.

When asked whether he considers himself a Zionist, Moore replied: “The state of Israel has a right to exist, but I also think that so do Palestinian people.”

The Democratic governor’s comments come amid ongoing tensions in the Israel-Hamas war. Moore has previously expressed support for Israel’s right to defend itself and condemned Hamas following the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks, while also calling for humanitarian considerations in Gaza.