The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
Gaza: Acts of war bear hallmarks of atrocity crimes, warn UN humanitarians
According to local health authorities in Gaza, from 18 to 25 March, 830 people were killed, including 174 women and 322 children. A further 1,787 were injured.
“The acts of war that we see bear the hallmarks of atrocity crimes,” said Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN aid coordination office, OCHA. “Hundreds of children and other civilians have been killed in health and Israeli airstrikes. Intensely populated areas hospitals are once again battlegrounds; patients killed in their beds, ambulances shot at and first responders killed.”
It has been 10 days since Gazans woke up to renewed Israel bombing. “It has been 10 days of witnessing - because the UN remains on the ground in Gaza - a callous disregard for human life and dignity,” Mr. Laerke maintained.
Maryse Guimond, UN Women Representative for the OPT, relayed testimonies of Palestinians in Gaza who are refusing to heed new evacuation orders issued by the Israeli military on the grounds that “there are no safe places anyway”.
Speaking from Amman, she added: “It is a situation of pure survival and survival of their families because, as they say, there is simply nowhere to go. They are telling us they will not move again since no safe places anyway. As a woman recently said to us from Deir al Balah, ‘My mother says death is the same whether in Gaza City, or in Deir al Balah; we just want to return to Gaza.’”
Echoing those concerns, Dr Margaret Harris, spokesperson for the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said that the situation “is as bad as it ever was”. A new ceasefire is needed immediately for the sake of all Gazans, she insisted. “We knew it was bad before the ceasefire, when we were constantly begging to be allowed to do our job and just to help the ordinary people. No, they can't keep going and that's why we're saying…we need a ceasefire right now.”
Healthcare in the enclave is also suffering from the aid blockade, with supplies dwindling dangerously low since the cut-off began on 2 March. “The key supplies now for safe labour and delivery and deliveries of so-called supplies for maternal and child health will be running out soon,” said Dr Rik Peeperkorn, WHO representative in the OPT. A dozen ambulances have also been put out of action by a lack of fuel, the veteran humanitarian medic said, speaking from Jerusalem.
Sparked by Hamas-led terror attacks in Israel, the war in Gaza has devastated the enclave and prompted widespread international condemnation over its impact on civilians, who should be spared from violence in times of war.
“Nothing can justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people,” OCHA’s Mr. Laerke insisted. “International law is clear, it prohibits indiscriminate attacks, obstruction of life saving aid, destruction of infrastructure indispensable for civilian survival and hostage-taking. The International Court of Justice’s provisional measures on the application of the Genocide Convention remain in place; yet the alerts that we issue in report after report reveal an utter lack of respect for the most basic principles of humanity.”
ends
STORY: Gaza Update – OCHA, WHO, UN Women
TRT: 03’27”
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 28 March 2025 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
Speakers:
- Jens Laerke, spokesperson, OCHA
- Dr. Margaret Harris, spokesperson, WHO
- Dr Rik Peeperkorn, WHO representative in the OPT (from Jerusalem)
- Maryse Guimond, UN Women Representative for the OPT (from Amman)
SHOTLIST
- Exterior medium shot: Palais des Nations, Flag Alley
- Wide shot of podium with speakers.
- SOUNDBITE (English) – Jens Laerke, spokesperson, OCHA: “It is now day 10 of the return to full-scale war in Gaza after Israel decided to start bombing the enclave again. It has been 10 days of witnessing - because the UN remains on the ground in Gaza - a callous disregard for human life and dignity.”
- Wide shot, podium speakers, Press room.
- SOUNDBITE (English) – Jens Laerke, spokesperson, OCHA: “The acts of war that we see bear the hallmarks of atrocity crimes. Hundreds of children and other civilians have been killed in Israeli airstrikes in intensely populated areas. Hospitals are once again battlegrounds; patients killed in their beds, ambulances shot at and first responders killed.”
- Medium, journalists.
- SOUNDBITE (English) – Dr Margaret Harris, spokesperson, WHO: “We're looking at a situation right now that is as bad as it ever was. We knew it was bad before the ceasefire, when we were constantly begging to be allowed to do our job and just to help the ordinary people of Gzaa to live their lives. It is now worse because people have had a blockade of food but they’ve also got the ongoing fighting and supplies are running out. And they are exhausted. And this is on top of a situation where they were already very unwell. So no, they can’t keep going, and that why we’re saying we need this to be lifted right now. We need a ceasefire right now.”
- Medium-wide, TV screens showing speaker, journalists.
- SOUNDBITE (English) – Jens Laerke, spokesperson, OCHA: “We repeat: nothing can justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people; international law is clear, it prohibits indiscriminate attacks, obstruction of life saving aid, destruction of infrastructure indispensable for civilian survival and hostage-taking. The International Court of Justice’s provisional measures on the application of the Genocide Convention remain in place; yet the alerts that we issue in report after report reveal an utter lack of respect for the most basic principles of humanity.”
- Medium, Press room, journalists.
- Dr Rik Peeperkorn, WHO representative in the OPT (from Jerusalem): “The key supplies now for safe labour and delivery and deliveries of so-called supplies for maternal and child health will be running out - soon. I mean, we were running out. Limited availability of benzene has put out a dozen of ambulances out of use.”
- Wide, Press room, TV journalist with camera.
- SOUNDBITE (English) – Maryse Guimond, UN Women Representative for the OPT (from Amman): “From 18 to 25 March in just eight days, 830 people have been killed, 174 women, 322 children with 1,787 injured.”
- Medium, journalist.
- SOUNDBITE (English) – Maryse Guimond, UN Women: “It is a situation of pure survival and survival of their families because, as they say, there is simply nowhere to go. They are telling us they will not move again since no safe places anyway. As a woman recently said to us from Deir al Balah, ‘My mother says death is the same whether in Gaza City, or Deir al Balah; we just want to return to Gaza.”
- Medium, journalist.
- Medium, TV journalist with camera.
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Edited News | UNHCR , WHO
Venezuela earthquake aftermath: ‘breakdown of basic services’, disease risks and health workers missing – UN agencies
As search and rescue operations continue in Venezuela thousands of displaced people are struggling to find shelter while infectious diseases threaten to spread, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk today addressed the 62 Human Rights Council and made the following remarks on the report on Venezuela.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
The UN Human Rights Office on Friday called for action to prevent more deaths in US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody, as well as for investigations and accountability.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , IOM , paho , UNHCR , OHCHR , IFRC
Aid agencies on Friday highlighted massive needs across Venezuela caused by a double earthquake disaster that has killed at least 235 people so far, with search and rescue for people trapped under the rubble still the top priority.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Seif Magango made the following remarks at the bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva, on the latest report on sexual violence in the Sudanese conflict.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO , IOM , IFRC
Ebola in DRC: first month of outbreak sees record number of cases – UN humanitarians
Ebola has been spreading at unprecedented speed in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), bringing risk and fear into people’s daily lives, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA
Afghanistan in Crisis: Drought, Malnutrition, and a Worsening Humanitarian Situation
1
1
1
Edited News | UNICEF , OCHA
After another deadly night of clashes in Lebanon, aid agencies issued a new alert for Gaza, where 265 Palestinian children have been killed since a ceasefire was announced in October 2025.
2
1
2
Press Conferences , Edited News | IAEA
The head of the UN’s atomic energy agency on Thursday welcomed the signing of an initial Iran-US memorandum aimed at ending the war, before proposing “to sit down” with both parties to assist with concrete measures including verification of Iran’s nuclear programme, a critical sticking point.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO , IFRC
‘Some people question whether Ebola is real’: trust is central in fighting DRC outbreak, humanitarians say
In Ebola-stricken Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), winning the race against the disease requires earning the community’s trust first and foremost, humanitarians said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Monday 15 June delivered his Global Update to the 62nd UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
2
1
1
Statements , Conferences , Edited News | HRC
As representatives of Iran and the United States reportedly prepared to sign a new peace agreement at the end of the week, the UN on Monday stressed the urgent need to open an aid corridor to transit the choked-off Strait of Hormuz and prevent a global hunger crisis.