Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
“For almost three weeks now, Palestinian civilians in Gaza have endured relentless bombing by Israel from air, land and sea. Thousands dead, lying dead amongst destroyed residential buildings, mosques and bakeries. We receive harrowing testimony of entire families killed by airstrikes on their homes including the families of our own staff members. Of parents writing children’s names on their arms to identify their future remains. Of the terrifying, sleepless nights people are spending in the open air, as airstrikes continue overhead. We mourn the loss of UN colleagues and so many more civilians who are clearly, disproportionately impacted,”she said.
“Despite its repeated orders to residents of northern Gaza to move to the south, suggesting it is safe, Israeli Forces’ strikes on two southern Governorates and Middle Gaza intensified in recent days. Meanwhile, heavy strikes on northern communities, including in Gaza city, continue. Nowhere is safe in Gaza,” Shamdasani said.
“Compelling people to evacuate, including to places such as “the Israeli designated area” of Al Mawasi, and while under a complete siege raises serious concerns over forcible transfer, which is a war crime,”she said.
“Israel’s use of explosive weapons with wide area effects in densely populated areas has caused extensive damage to civilian infrastructure and loss of civilian lives that, by all appearances, is difficult to reconcile with international humanitarian law,” the spokesperson said.
“Collective punishment is occurring through the choking off of water, food, fuel and electricity. Fuel shortages forcing the closure of hospitals and bakeries. People forced into shelters in increasingly dire conditions; overcrowded, with poor sanitation and unsafe drinking water, bringing forward the specter of disease outbreak. A humanitarian catastrophe unfolds for the 2.2 million people locked inside Gaza who are being collectively punished,” Shamdasani said.
“Collective punishment is a war crime. Israel’s collective punishment of the entire population of Gaza must immediately cease. The use of dehumanizing language against Palestinians must also be halted,” she said.
“Indiscriminate attacks by Palestinian armed groups, including through the launching of unguided rockets into Israel, must stop. They must immediately and unconditionally release all civilians who were captured and are still being held. The taking of hostages is also a war crime,” the spokesperson said.
“The High Commissioner is appealing for efforts to seek human rights-based, lasting pathways towards peace for the people of Palestine and Israel. Efforts must be made to bring this escalation to an immediate end. It is of utmost importance that all those with influence negotiate a way out of this protracted, disastrous situation,”she said.
“Peace, security and justice will not be found down this current path. The cycle of vengeance and bloodshed needs to end,” she said.
ENDS
For more information and media requests, please contact:
In Geneva
Ravina Shamdasani - + 41 22 917 9169 / ravina.shamdasani@un.org or
Marta Hurtado - + 41 22 917 9466 / marta.hurtadogomez@un.org
In Nairobi
Seif Magango - +254 788 343 897 / seif.magango@un.org
Tag and share
Twitter @UNHumanRights
Facebook unitednationshumanrights
Instagram @unitednationshumanrights
STORY: UN Human Rights Briefing by Ravina Shamdasani on Israel-OPT
TRT: 03:58
SOURCE: UNTV / OHCHR
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: English/NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 27 October 2023 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
SHOTLIST
1
1
1
Edited News | UNITED NATIONS
United Nations agencies staff demonstrate on Place des Nations in Geneva, to denounce their colleagues killed in Gaza since October 2023
1
1
1
Edited News | WMO
The world’s water resources face growing pressure from climate change while emergencies related to the vital resource are increasingly impacting lives and livelihoods, the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Thursday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk addressed the Human Rights Council during a meeting on the Israeli strike on negotiators in Qatar on Tuesday. “Israel’s strike on negotiators in Doha on 9 September was a shocking breach of international law, an assault on regional peace and stability, and a blow against the integrity of mediation and negotiating processes around the world,” he said.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNICEF
Gaza: Thirsty and starving, war-battered families face ‘inhumane’ evacuation
As bombs continue to fall on Gaza City as part of the intensifying Israeli military operation, families with starving children are being pushed southwards from one “hellscape” to another, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
New UN Human Rights report finds 10 years of increased suffering repression and fear
The UN Human Rights Office on Friday published a report on the human rights situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) since 2014.
1
1
2
Edited News | UNICEF , UNHCR
The ongoing humanitarian response to the devastating Afghanistan earthquake disaster continued on Friday, although essential services have been cut for operational reasons following reinforced Taliban restrictions on women working with the UN, the global body said.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
Un nouveau rapport du Haut-Commissariat des Nations Unies aux droits de l'homme sur la République démocratique du Congo évoque le spectre de crimes de guerre et de crimes contre l'humanité dans le Nord et le Sud-Kivu.,
2
1
2
Press Conferences , Edited News | HRC
A high-level independent rights probe into the Sudan crisis on Tuesday condemned the many grave crimes committed against civilians by all parties to the war, citing disturbing evidence indicating that they had been “deliberately targeted, displaced and starved”.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
Ukraine: ‘Relentless’ attacks rattle health system as winter approaches: WHO
Ambulances attacked, chronically ill patients lacking care and no peace in sight: for millions of Ukrainians, the run-up to another winter of war is just the latest life-or-death challenge they face, the UN health agency (WHO) said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Monday delivered his report on Sri Lanka to the 60th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Monday delivered his global update to the 60th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
A UN report on the Democratic Republic of Congo raises specter of war crimes and crimes against humanity in North and South Kivu, according to UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani.