NewsUN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk delivered an informal brief on Thursday to UN member states representatives. His brief focused on the conditions in Gaza and warned that, because of the concentrated population of civilians in the area, any further effort to move more civilians away from active bombing campaigns will lead to a breakdown of crucial infrastructure.
In the statement, Türk cited statistics from both Israeli authorities and the Gaza Ministry of Health to underscore the losses suffered by both sides of the conflict. He stated, “It is apparent that on both sides, some view the killing of civilians as either acceptable collateral damage, or a deliberate and useful weapon of war.” Türk also referred to the situation as “a humanitarian and human rights crisis,” highlighting the usage of civilian targets within Gaza—particularly those located within hospitals.
Türk dismissed the recently floated idea of “safe zones,” as “untenable,” reiterating the position taken by the UN Development Programme earlier in the day. He continued to state that the concentration of civilian populations forced to move south seeking safety will lead to “complete collapse of water, sewage and crucial healthcare services,” which will in turn lead to inevitable “massive outbreaks of infectious diseases and hunger.” Testimony from Gazans on the ground and reports from the World Health Organization appear to support Türk’s position.
Türk went on to discuss the broader impact of the conflict, particularly focusing again the impact settler attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank are having on the wider Middle East region and human rights. Türk previously expressed concern that “armed settlers have been acting with the acquiescence and collaboration of Israeli forces and authorities.” On Thursday, he reiterated, “Continued, widespread impunity for such violations must stop.”
The key recommendation of the brief was that “all parties acknowledge that all human lives have equal value.” Türk urged for this sentiment to take precedence over the competing narratives about the conflict, the rage on both sides and the reemergence of historical traumas. He further recommended that all UN member states use their power to support the UN Security Council’s resolution for “humanitarian pauses” and humanitarian aid. At the same time, Türk promoted an international investigation into the human rights violations committed in this conflict.
Most recent numbers from the Gaza Ministry of Health indicate that over 11,100 Palestinians have been killed since fighting broke out on October 7. Israeli authorities report that approximately 1,200 Israelis have also been killed in the same time period. A majority of those killed have been civilians.
