Geneva – Together – United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said that the suffering of civilians in the Gaza Strip is unbearable in light of the continuing killings and hostilities carried out by Israel.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights continued in a statement on Sunday: “The brutal resumption of hostilities in Gaza and its terrifying impact on civilians once again underscores the necessity of ending the violence and finding a political solution based on the only viable long-term basis.”
He said: “The suffering to which civilians are exposed is too great to bear. More violence is not the solution. It will not bring peace or security,” expressing his deep concern that the negotiations aimed at continuing the truce reached last week have reached a dead end. “blocked.”
The High Commissioner expressed grave concerns that renewed and intensified hostilities would lead to more deaths, illness and destruction than we have seen so far.
He said: “As a result of Israel’s hostilities and its orders for people to leave the north and parts of the south, hundreds of thousands are confined to ever smaller areas in southern Gaza without proper sanitation, or access to sufficient food, water and health supplies.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights added, “I repeat, there is no safe place in Gaza.”
He stressed that “international humanitarian law and human rights law are clear that the protection of civilians comes first, and that rapid and unhindered access of humanitarian aid must be facilitated through all possible means to alleviate the suffering of civilians.”
He noted that the hundreds of thousands of people remaining in northern Gaza are at risk from renewed bombardment and are still deprived of food and other necessities. “Given this horrific situation and the orders to move south, people are essentially being forced to leave, in what appears to be an attempt to empty northern Gaza of Palestinians,” he said.
He stressed the need to fully investigate the very serious allegations related to multiple and serious violations of international law and hold those responsible accountable. When national authorities prove unwilling or unable to conduct such investigations and prosecutions, an international investigation becomes necessary, and Member States must do everything in their power to ensure that all parties comply with their obligations under international law and prevent the commission of international crimes.
“It is time to change course,” Türk said. “Those who choose to violate international law understand that accountability will be enforced. No one is above the law.”
Source: Maan News Agency