The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
SCRIPT
The UN Human Rights Office today published a report saying justice must be served with respect to the grave violations of international law that have been committed in the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The report details the horrific reality that has unfolded for the people of Israel and Gaza since 7 October 2023.
“This report provides a detailed analysis of grave human rights violations over the six-month period from November 2023 to April 2024, and broadly examines the killing of civilians and breaches of international law that in many instances could amount to war crimes,” said UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Jeremy Laurence, during the launch of the launch of the report at the bi-weekly UN press briefing in Geneva, Switzerland.
“If committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against a civilian population, further to a State or organizational policy, these violations may constitute crimes against humanity. And if committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, they may also constitute genocide, the report warns,” he added.
For his part, Ajith Sunghay, the head of the UN Human Rights Office in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, speaking from Amman, Jordan, said: “Gaza is now a rubble-strewn landscape.”
“Within this dystopia of destruction and devastation, those alive are left injured, displaced and starving. Women, men, children do not have access to adequate water, food or healthcare. People are left in cramped, unsanitary conditions, ridden with illness and disease. Women are left without access to basic hygiene and health needs. Children are separated from their parents,” he added.
“We have been verifying the personal details of those killed in Gaza by strikes, shelling and other conduct of hostilities. Of those fatalities, we have so far found close to 70 per cent to be children and women, indicating a systematic violation of the fundamental principles of international humanitarian law, including distinction and proportionality,” he went on to say.
“Given the pattern of strikes throughout Gaza, and the fact they have not only killed and injured so many people, but also destroyed fundamental social structures and support networks of Palestinians in Gaza, they raise concerns that Israeli forces have intentionally attacked the very basic fabric of Palestinian society; have decimated the cohesion of Palestinian communities within Gaza,” he said.
ENDS
For more information and media requests, please contact:
Ravina Shamdasani - + 41 22 917 9169 / ravina.shamdasani@un.org or
Jeremy Laurence - +41 22 917 9383 / jeremy.laurence@un.org or
Seif Magango: - +41 79 752 0488 / seif.magango@un.org
Tag and share
Twitter @UNHumanRights
Facebook unitednationshumanrights
Instagram @unitednationshumanrights
STORY: UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence & Ajith Sunghay, Head of UN Human Rights Office in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, on Gaza
TRT: SOURCE: OHCHR
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: English/NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 8 NOVEMBER 2024
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
SHOTLIST
- Exterior shot : Palais des Nations
- Cutaway : Briefing room
- SOUNDBITE (English)—Jeremy Laurence, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “This report provides a detailed analysis of grave human rights violations over the six-month period from November 2023 to April 2024, and broadly examines the killing of civilians and breaches of international law, that in many instances could amount to war crimes.”
- SOUNDBITE (English)—Jeremy Laurence, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “If committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against a civilian population, further to a State or organizational policy, these violations may constitute crimes against humanity. And if committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, they may also constitute genocide, the report warns.”
- Cutaway : Briefing room
- SOUNDBITE (English)—Jeremy Laurence, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “States have an obligations to act to prevent atrocity crimes, and we urge them to support the work of accountability mechanisms, including the International Criminal Court, in relation to the current conflict; to exercise universal jurisdiction to investigate and try crimes under international law in national courts, consistent with international standards; and to comply with extradition requests pertaining to suspects of such crimes to countries where they would receive a fair trial.”
- Cutaway : Briefing room
- SOUNDBITE (English)—Ajith Sunghay, Head of UN Human Rights Office for Occupied Palestinian Territory: “Gaza is now a rubble-strewn landscape.”
- Cutaway : Briefing room
- SOUNDBITE (English)—Ajith Sunghay, Head of UN Human Rights Office for Occupied Palestinian Territory: “Within this dystopia of destruction and devastation, those alive are left injured, displaced and starving. Women, men, children do not have access to adequate water, food or healthcare. People are left in cramped, unsanitary conditions, ridden with illness and disease. Women are left without access to basic hygiene and health needs. Children are separated from their parents.”
- Cutaway : Briefing room
- SOUNDBITE (English)—Ajith Sunghay, Head of UN Human Rights Office for Occupied Palestinian Territory: “We have been verifying the personal details of those killed in Gaza by strikes, shelling and other conduct of hostilities. Of those fatalities, we have so far found close to 70 per cent to be children and women, indicating a systematic violation of the fundamental principles of international humanitarian law, including distinction and proportionality.”
- Cutaway : Briefing room
- SOUNDBITE (English)—Ajith Sunghay, Head of UN Human Rights Office for Occupied Palestinian Territory: “Given the pattern of strikes throughout Gaza, and the fact they have not only killed and injured so many people, but also destroyed fundamental social structures and support networks of Palestinians in Gaza, they raise concerns that Israeli forces have intentionally attacked the very basic fabric of Palestinian society; have decimated the cohesion of Palestinian communities within Gaza.”
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
A UN Human Rights Office report released today on Israel’s settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan made the following remarks on Tuesday concerning the deadly blast at a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul:
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan made the following remarks on the impact of Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , OHCHR , WFP
Middle East war may deepen global hunger; mass displacement, rights violations on the rise
The Middle East war could cause the worst disruption to humanitarian work since COVID, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Tuesday.
2
1
2
Statements , Conferences , Edited News | HRC
The UN’s top human rights forum gathered in Geneva on Monday, where Member States highlighted the growing civilian toll of war in the Middle East, sparked by Israeli and U.S. bombing of Iran, counter-strikes by Tehran against Gulf states and Israeli shelling of Hezbollah targets in Lebanon in response to attacks by the armed group.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNIFIL , UNFPA , IOM , UNHCR
As the UN Secretary-General touched down in Beirut on Friday in solidarity with the people of Lebanon, UN agencies highlighted the dangers for civilians and particularly pregnant women and migrant workers, amid ongoing airstrikes and rocket fire between Hezbollah fighters and Israel.
2
1
2
Press Conferences , Edited News | HRC
Russia’s deportations of Ukrainian children amount to crimes against humanity: independent UN rights probe
Scores of Ukrainian children are still missing after being deported far and wide across Russia and occupied territories while their families continue to search for them, human rights investigators said on Thursday.
2
1
2
Edited News , Press Conferences | OCHA
The UN’s emergency relief chief on Wednesday condemned the “$1 billion-a-day” cost of the war roiling the Middle East, at a time of severe cuts to the global body’s humanitarian work in emergencies and “soaring” needs.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , WHO , UNHCR , UNICEF , WFP
Middle East war: UN warns of ‘toxic rain’ danger from oil depot strikes as mass displacement, aid supply shocks spread
Toxic “black rain” linked to strikes on oil depots, mass displacement and continuing disruption to humanitarian supply chains are upending lives across the Middle East and beyond after 10 days of war in the region, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on Friday made the following remarks on Israel’s military ground incursions and displacement orders in Lebanon.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , IOM , WHO
The escalating war in the Middle East has heightened growing concerns about further civilian suffering and displacement in the region and far beyond, UN agencies said on Friday.
2
1
2
Press Conferences , Edited News | OHCHR
UN Human Rights chief Volker Türk made the following remarks at a press stake out on the current situation in the Middle East.
“The crisis sparked in the Middle East one week ago following US and Israeli attacks on Iran, and Iran’s counterattacks, has been spreading like wildfire. It is causing significant damage in Iran, Israel and at least a dozen other countries, mostly in the Gulf, with risks of major economic and environmental ramifications across the world,” he said.