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

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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

1. Exterior shot : Palais des Nations
2. Cutaway : Briefing room
3. 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.”
4. 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.”
5. Cutaway : Briefing room
6. 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.”
7. Cutaway : Briefing room
8. SOUNDBITE (English)—Ajith Sunghay, Head of UN Human Rights Office for Occupied Palestinian Territory: “Gaza is now a rubble-strewn landscape.”
9. Cutaway : Briefing room
10. 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.”
11. Cutaway : Briefing room
12. 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.”
13. Cutaway : Briefing room
14. 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.”