UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR) Volker Trk has called on all States and actors with influence in the region and beyond to avert further escalation and do everything they can to ensure full respect for international law.

‘We are extremely alarmed by the sharp escalation of hostilities between Lebanon and Israel and call on all parties to immediately cease the violence and to ensure the protection of civilians,’ Spokesperson for the UNHCHR Ravina Shamdasani said in a press briefing.

‘Yesterday marked the deadliest day of violence in years, with reports of at least 492 killed and 1,645 injured following a series of Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon.’

Lebanon’s health ministry said 35 children and 58 women were among those killed, as well as a number of medical workers.

She stressed that international humanitarian law is very clear. ‘All parties to an armed conflict must at all times distinguish between the civilian population and combatants and between civilian objects and military objectives
. Constant care must be taken to spare the civilian population and civilian objects. The laws of war also oblige all parties to observe the principle of proportionality.’

She went on to say, ‘Incidents in which any civilians – including children and medical workers – are killed or seriously injured, potentially in violation of international law, must be subject to independent, thorough, and transparent investigations into the circumstances of the attacks.’

Source: Emirates News Agency