New York - Saba:
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said on Friday that the escalation of Israeli aggression and the killing of civilians in the Gaza Strip, which is forcing people to flee amid the threat of intensified attacks, the systematic destruction of entire neighborhoods, and the denial of humanitarian aid, confirms a trend toward permanent demographic transformation in Gaza, which constitutes a challenge to international law and amounts to ethnic cleansing.
Türk stated in press statements that the escalation of aggression this week raises fears of the beginning of a broader Israeli attack, and urged all parties, including countries with direct influence, to halt the attack. He added: "We must stop this madness.
Medical services are collapsing, shelters are constantly shrinking due to displacement and demolition orders, families are forced to live in tents in conditions far below standards that preserve their human dignity, and severe hunger is exacerbated by the Israeli blockade."
He pointed to the Israeli army's bombing on May 13 of two of the largest hospitals in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, the Nasser Medical Complex and the European Hospital, rendering the latter out of service.
Türk stressed that hospitals are protected at all times, and are even more vital during wartime. He added, "The killing of patients, people visiting their wounded or sick loved ones, emergency workers, or other civilians seeking shelter is as tragic as it is outrageous. These attacks must stop."
He explained that international law requires Israel to ensure constant care is taken to preserve civilian lives.
Türk added, "Surveillance camera footage broadcast by international news agencies, taken immediately before at least one airstrike on the European Hospital, shows children, women, and men wandering around." In the area, apparently unaware of the imminent attack, their presence was highly likely known, given the ongoing aerial surveillance over the Gaza Strip, particularly the targeted areas.
Türk emphasized that the laws of war, based on the Geneva Conventions, are "sacred," and that exceptions to human rights protections, including the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, oblige all actors to strictly adhere to these rules. Those who fail to comply must be held accountable.
The Gaza Strip has witnessed an escalation in airstrikes and artillery shelling, targeting residential neighborhoods with destruction and forcing civilians to flee their homes.
Since March 2, the Israeli enemy has continued to close the Gaza Strip's crossings to the entry of food, relief, medical aid, and goods, causing a significant deterioration in the humanitarian situation of Palestinians, according to government, human rights, and international reports.
| more of (International) |