The UN calls on Israel to stop hostilities in Gaza and end the suffering of civilians

Geneva (ST) – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk stated: “Brutal resumption of hostilities in  Gaza and the terrifying impact on civilians underscore the need to end the violence”, calling for a political solution built on the only viable long-term basis – the full respect of the human rights.

“Fighting resumed on Friday and hundreds of Palestinians have been killed by Israeli bombardments”, Türk said, “and no aid entered the Strip via the Rafah crossing on Friday”.

“As a result of Israel’s conduct of hostilities and its orders for people to leave the north and parts of the south, hundreds of thousands are being confined into ever smaller areas in southern Gaza without proper sanitation, access to sufficient food, water and health supplies, even as bombs rain down around them”, he said, adding that there is no safe place in Gaza.

Türk stressed that international law and human rights law uphold the protection of civilians and the facilitation of unimpeded humanitarian access to people in need.

Najla  Khoury