Mr. Türk emphasized the urgent need to put an end to the ongoing war in Gaza, stressing the importance of pursuing peace, holding accountable those responsible for breaching international humanitarian laws, and conducting investigations into potential war crimes committed by both parties.

Horrors of war

During the presentation of a scheduled report from OHCHR to the Council, High Commissioner Türk expressed that the ongoing events in Gaza are beyond description and seemingly endless in their magnitude of horror. The report focused on the dire situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

Emphasizing the extreme number of casualties and injuries among civilians in the enclave, Mr. Türk pointed out that over 17,000 children have been left without parents or separated from their families.

After repeating his strong disapproval towards the Hamas-led attacks on October 7th and 8th as well as the immoral act of taking hostages, Mr. Türk highlighted that a significant number of people in Gaza were forced to leave their homes due to the war and whole neighborhoods were demolished, making Gaza almost unlivable.

Lasting impact

During his speech to the Council, Mr. Türk, the head of the UN’s highest human rights forum under the UN General Assembly, stated that Israel has dropped countless amounts of weapons on Gaza communities since October 7th.

“The weapons release a powerful shock wave of intense pressure that can cause internal organ damage, along with shrapnel and extreme heat that can result in severe burns – and they have been deployed in heavily populated residential areas,” he explained. “During my visit to the Arish hospital in Egypt last November, I witnessed children with burned flesh. This is an image that will stay with me forever.”

Civilians in crosshairs

The High Commissioner highlighted that Israel’s actions likely led to an indiscriminate and unequal focus, resulting in thousands of Gazans who have gone missing due to being buried under the rubble of their homes. The Commissioner further condemned the launch of indiscriminate projectiles by Palestinian armed groups, which have reached as far as Tel Aviv.

Supporting role

Nearly all 47 Member States represented on the forum expressed support for the condemnation of attacks on Israeli communities by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups made by the UN rights chief. They also agreed with his call for the release of Israeli hostages still being held in the enclave and emphasized the urgency of an immediate ceasefire. Additionally, there was consensus on the importance of holding both sides accountable for violations of the laws of war and the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian State.

UN News/Anton Uspensky

The 55th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council received a report from High Commissioner Volker Türk on the current state of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

Israel stance

Meirav Eilon Shahar, Israel’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, denounced the actions of Hamas as “terrorism” and made unsupported claims about collaboration between the UN and the militant group.

During the debate, the Israeli delegate emphasized her country’s adherence to international humanitarian law and the right to self-defense while seated alongside two recently released hostages, Aviva Siegel and Raz Ben Ami, who clutched each other’s hands for support.

She stated that Israel is engaged in a conflict that was instigated by Hamas in Gaza, where terrorists often use the civilian population as shields. The UN has been aware of the construction and placement of these battlefields for years but has chosen to overlook it.

“Israel has been told time and time again that the terrorists who have diverted aid, built terror tunnels, brutally murdered innocent civilians, raped, beheaded, burnt families alive cannot be touched because they hide among the civilian population. Yet, we have no choice. We must go after Hamas, or they will continue to come after us.”

Show of hands

Briefly, there was a spontaneous round of applause during the event as the Palestinian representative, Ibrahim Khraishi, strongly criticized the Hamas-led attacks in Israel which have caused the recent escalation in the conflict.

“We stand firmly by our stance,” he stated, “however, no one is truly denouncing the loss of innocent lives of women, children, and the elderly.”

Around 12,000 children and 8,000 women were included in the number of victims, according to Mr. Khraishi. On Thursday morning, unconfirmed reports indicated that numerous Palestinians were fatally wounded by Israeli forces in Gaza City while they were waiting for aid trucks to reach them.

A young boy surveys the destruction of his community in Gaza.

He questioned whether these individuals were fighters or acting as shields for humans. He then urged the global community to stop a potential massacre in Rafah, due to an expected full-scale attack by Israeli troops if a ceasefire is not reached.

Earlier, Turkish rights chief, Navi Pillay, warned against Israel launching a ground attack on the city of Rafah, which is currently home to 1.5 million people who are seeking shelter, despite the ongoing bombings.

The High Commissioner expressed concern that a potential Israeli offensive could result in a significant loss of life, an increased risk of atrocity crimes, further displacement to an unsafe area, and hinder the provision of humanitarian aid. She questioned the conformity of such an action with the legally binding provisional measures set out by the International Court of Justice.

Source: news.un.org