Volker Trk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said he was appalled by the disregard for international human rights and humanitarian law by parties to the conflict in Gaza.
He made this statement as he presented his global update on the situation of human rights globally at the fifty-sixth regular session of the Human Rights Council, which opened today and will run until 12th July.
More than 120,000 people in Gaza, overwhelmingly women and children, had been killed or injured since 7th October, as a result of the intensive Israeli offensives, Trk explained. Since Israel escalated its operations into Rafah in early May, almost one million Palestinians have been forcibly displaced, while aid delivery and humanitarian access deteriorated further.
‘The situation in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is dramatically deteriorating,” the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights continued. “As of 15 June, 528 Palestinians, 133 of them children, had been killed by Israeli security forces and/or s
ettlers since October, in many cases raising serious concerns of unlawful killings. In the same period, 23 Israelis have been killed in the West Bank and Israel in clashes with or attacks by Palestinians, including 8 members of Israeli security forces. Palestinian armed groups continued to hold many hostages, and, in some cases in densely populated areas, putting them and Palestinian civilians at further risk. They must be released. The patterns raised serious concerns about the commission of war crimes and other atrocity crimes. He said the escalating situation between Lebanon and Israel was concerning.’
He also highlighted that 401 people have reportedly been killed in Lebanon, including paramedics and journalists, speaking about the conflict between Lebanon and Israel. ‘Over 90,000 people have been displaced in Lebanon, and over 60,000 have been displaced in Israel with 25 Israeli fatalities. Thousands of buildings have been destroyed. I reiterate my call for a cessation of hostilities and for actors with
influence to take all possible measures to avert a full-scale war.’
‘We urgently need to find our way back to peace, in line with the UN Charter and international law,’ the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights urged.
Commenting on the price of war, he said, “As of the end of May 2024, the gap between humanitarian funding requirements and available resources stands at US$40.8 billion. Appeals are funded at an average of 16.1 percent only.
“Contrast this with the almost $2.5 trillion in global military expenditure in 2023, a 6.8 percent increase in real terms from 2022. This was the steepest year-on-year increase since 2009.
‘In addition to inflicting unbearable human suffering, war comes with a hefty price tag.’
Source: Emirates News Agency