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Rabat – United Nations Human Rights Chief Volker Turk has briefed member states on his recent mission to Egypt and Jordan, delivering a stark call for an international inquiry into violations of humanitarian law committed by Israel.
Amidst the destruction and suffering in Gaza and the West Bank, Turk emphasized the urgent need for attention to the harrowing situation that has left ordinary civilians devastated from Israel’s relentless bombardment.
His mission aimed to assess the conditions firsthand and present recommendations.
During his visit to the region, Turk met with senior officials from Egypt, Jordan, and Palestine, along with Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit.
In his interactions with representatives of civil society from Palestine, Egypt, Jordan, and Israel, Turk also shared the distressing accounts he gathered, painting a grim picture of the harm endured by civilians.
The Gaza strip, besieged for decades, has been facing an intensive bombardment from Israeli occupation forces.
Türk revealed shocking figures from the Gaza Ministry of Health, stating that one in every 57 people in the territory has been killed or wounded in the past five weeks, with over 11,100 killed so far, including more than 4,600 children.
Notably, 102 UN staff members were among the casualties, the global organization’s highest death toll in a single conflict in its history.
“There must be an end to grave human rights violations, notably against children,” stated the UN Human Rights Chief.
He underscored the severe violations of international humanitarian law, condemning Israeli military attacks on civilians and protected sites, as well as forced displacement of civilians.
He insisted on rigorous investigation and accountability for such breaches, regardless of the party responsible.
“Extremely serious allegations of multiple and profound breaches of international humanitarian law, whoever commits them, demand rigorous investigation and full accountability,” he declared.
The crisis, Turk warned, extends beyond Gaza and to the occupied West Bank, where settler attacks on Palestinians have increased, and Israeli occupation forces have intensified the use of military weaponry.
The situation, he cautioned, is beyond early warnings and could potentially lead to a wider regional conflict.
