OHCHR Press Conference: Escalating violence and human rights violations in Gaza and across the OPT

Good afternoon, everyone, and thank you for joining us at this press briefing.

The subject of the briefing today will be the escalating violence and human rights violations in Gaza and across the Occupied Palestinian territory.

I'll begin with a quick introduction of our speakers.

Today we will have opening remarks from 4 speakers, two of them in the room with us and two Special Rapporteurs who will be speaking online here with us, we have Mr Pedro Arrojo Agudo, the Special Rapporteur on the right to water and sanitation, and Mr George Kathrugalos, who is the independent expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order online.

We have Miss Francesca Albanese, who is the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, and Doctor Taleng Mofa King, who is the Special Rapporteur on the right to health.

Each of the speakers will have brief opening remarks.

We will begin with Miss Albanese, Special Rapporteur.

You have the flow.

Thank you very much, especially to HCHR for convening this briefing, which is very urgent, and the other Special Rapporteurs and Monday to others who are joining, joining me today.

Good day, everyone.

I wish to address the alarming escalation on violence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the one that has ravaged Gaza over the past 11 months, and the troubling indications that the violence is spreading to the West Bank.

Outlining the current situation in 5 minutes in a way that renders justice and does not dehumanises even further the Palestinians is impossible.

And still I will do my best in highlight in highlighting 3 main points.

First, the current situation on the ground in Gaza.

For almost a year, Israeli genocidal ******* has devastated entire families that raised the neighbourhoods, destroyed essential infrastructure.

The scale of this destruction has led to allegations of domicide.

You're beside scholasticide, medicide, cultural genocide, and more more recently, ecocide.

This violence has gone unpunished and continues unabated.

Nearly 2 million people, over 90% of the Gaza population, are forcibly displaced, many relocated multiple times.

Almost everyone is reliant on humanitarian aid, which is limited and insufficient.

The death toll stands at four 4000 / 40,000 Palestinians killed in 95 / 95,000 injured.

These are stark numbers, but still the trauma inflicted, both physical and psychological, will linger for generations.

The fury unleashed against Gaza has not spared the Israeli hostages that were taken on October seven by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups using them as political phones.

Israel has endangered their life, sometimes even killed them, and exacerbating the pain of their families and friends who are longing for their return in Israel.

Today, Gaza remains under siege and relentless bombardment.

Evacuation orders continue to be issued to a population that has nowhere to go and they are just waiting for their death.

The closure of the Rafa border has further exacerbated their ability to escape or to survive.

The suffering isn't imaginable and the way in the world continue to remain silent.

Primarily, I'm referring to Western countries in the West Bank and E Jerusalem.

The unbearable blind violence that has been unleashed in Gaza is finally not sparing those living in the West Bank and E Jerusalem, and the attacks against the Palestinians have been intensifying after October 7th.

Land confiscation, destruction of infrastructure and the population wrought by the Israeli occupation and settler militias since October 2023 has been marked by violent calls for displacement of Palestinians into Jordan or into the Arab countries, acts of force displacement, extrajudicial killings and upholding acts of revenge, physical and psychological torture.

So far, 179 Palestinians, including 159 children, have been killed in this area.

The Israeli military, supported by armed settlers, has intensified its strikes on the Palestinian towns and villages, especially in the north, where aerial and ground attacks have hit Jenin and Nablus, Tulkaren, Tubas, with violence escalating to levels not seen in two decades.

Particularly in the last two weeks, air strikes and artillery have killed the dozens Palestinians, while injuring many more.

Bulldozers and explosives are destroying as we speak petal infrastructure, including roads and utilities, disrupting essential services like water and electricity.

Israeli forces continue to besiege hospitals, halting ambulances and detaining many medical staff.

Israeli leaders have openly called West Bank towns and refugee camps mini gazas.

And despite these apparent crimes and continues and continued incitement from top officials, those responsible for these crimes remain unpunished.

The second element I want to bring to your attention is despite the horror on the ground, hope comes from the people who are protesting against against the complicity that is allowing Israel to commit the crime.

And hope comes from the international justice system, which was producing A seismic shift in recent months.

First, the International Criminal Court has been requested to issue arrest warrants concerning various atrocities, underscoring the need for accountability.

Second, two significant cases are pending before the International Court of Justice regarding allegations of genocide, South Africa versus Israel with a set of preliminary measures that that have gone, not followed up.

And the second is Nicaragua versus Germany.

Third, International Criminal Court, sorry.

Third, almost 6060 days ago, the ICJ has issued an historical decision, an advisory opinion that declares only Israel's presence in the Occupied Palestinian territory and lawful, amounting to annexation, violation of Palestinian refugee, Palestinian self determination and therefore to be dismantled.

The advisor opinion provides clear guidance on the responsibility of States and international organisations to address these violations.

Third and last point, shockingly, in the face of the abyss reached in the OPT and the hope provided by the international justice system, Member States, most Member States remain remained inactive at best, or actively aiding and assisting Israel's criminal conduct.

The international community must active decisively and must active now.

And as I'm speaking to media today, let me say something.

Too often media has disseminated Israeli disinformation which has served to justify the crimes being committed.

This coverage has contributed to dehumanised Palestinians and to its public perception, undermining accountability as well.

As Western citizen myself, I ask Western journalists among you, if you really resent and repent our past, If you really resent and repent, what Western countries have done to 1,000,000 during colonialism, including during Nazi fascism in Europe.

Stop dehumanising the Palestinians.

Please do your job, present the facts, ask to enter all areas in your PT and do not perpetuate narratives that allowed for continued injustice.

[Other language spoken]

Thank you, Mr Albanese, and we will now hear from the independent expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order.

Mr Katrugalos, you have the floor.

It is clear now to everybody that there is an evolving tragedy in Palestine.

However, this tragedy is not an issue just for the Palestinians.

It is immediately related to the future of multilateralism and the United Nations system of rules.

There is now die.

Now there's an obvious crisis of both of them, dubbed standards silence before major international crimes like those committed in Gaza, official threats against international judges.

Recently, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has said that he had held from a senior figure that the court was not built for the West and its allies, but just for Africa and thugs like Putin.

So I think that it is important for the future of a fair, just, democratic, equitable international order not to adopt double standards regarding international crimes, but have a uniform position based on principles, values, the United Nations Charter.

It is important, the immediate recognition of the State of Palestine.

It is of utter importance all states to accept pressure for an immediate stop, a ceasefire of the war in Gaza.

The warrants recently demanded by the Prosecutor of the ICC are a promise of accountability and end of impunity for the occupied Palestinian territory.

This promise should be kept.

Any further delay would undermine the deterrent effect that accountability could create.

It is really regrettable that European states have acted against these warrants.

The International Court of Justice, which will will determine the state and responsibility of Israel, has already declared the occupation illegal.

It's work is complementary to the work of the ICC for full justice in Palestine.

Both courts must do their work without foreign interference and threats to demonstrate the promise of global justice and individual accountability for all victims of this war.

[Other language spoken]

And we continue with the special rapporteur on water.

Mr Anguto, you have the floor.

[Other language spoken]

Thank you very much.

Well, Israel through government and army spokesman publicly proclaimed from the beginning of this war that it would cut off water, food and energy to the civilian population explicitly.

Currently, the population lives on an average of 4.7 litres of water per person and per day.

Any one of us, any one of us, us uses no less than 100 litres per day for our daily needs and The Who sets the minimum requirement in emergency situations at 15 litres.

In addition, accessible water is often contaminated by faecal matter, leading to serious health problems, especially for children, often resulting in death.

The only one natural source of fresh water in the is the coastal aquifer.

The strip is home to 2.3 million Palestinians, of whom it is important.

1.7 millions are refugees forced by Israel to live there.

In refugee camps, this huge population has been forced to pump 3 times more water than the aquifer receives through natural replenishment, resulting during the blockade for one decade and 1/2 in intense marine intrusion and selenisation.

In addition, Israel has been blocking 70% of the materials needed to build and operate sewage treatment plants as dual use materials, preventing proper sewage treatment, which has led to progressive faecal contamination of groundwater.

Until the outbreak of the war, drinking water was supplied by desalina tion plants and a limited amount of water sold to the Palestinians by Israel.

These provided drinking water to around 40% of the population.

At the outbreak of the war, Israel radically cut off these water supply and cut off the power supply, collapsing Desalina tion plants.

The lack of clean water has led to 1.7 million cases of infection diseases, mainly diarrhoea, dysentery and hepatitis A, particularly affecting children, as well as cases of polio, small, small box and other infectious diseases that can trigger massive and deadly epidemics.

All these, coupled with the lack of medical care, result in deaths, especially of babies and children, making water scarcity and contamination a silent bomb, which has far less visibility than those that destroy buildings but are no less lethal bomb.

Israel's violation of existing international law, as the International Criminal Court has already ruled, is systematic.

Both the 4th Geneva Convention and the Rome Institute, as well as customary international and humanitarian law are being violated on a daily basis, but not compliance with international law related to water does not only concern Gaza.

The militarization of water in the occupied Palestinian territory has been at the heart of a policy of water and territorial apartheid for the past 50 years, including the destruction of basic Palestinian water infrastructure.

Palestinians have no access to the Jordan River and cannot build wells or water infrastructure in their own territories.

They have only 70 litres per person a day and as as a mean and rural, many rural communities have only 20 litres, while Israeli population has four times more on average and illegal settlers receive and use 18 times more water for their crops and swimming pools.

Finally, we are witnessing A genocide against the Palestinian people.

We cannot remain impassive.

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much, this special Rapporteur.

And now we move to the special Rapporteur on the right to health, Doctor Muffa King.

[Other language spoken]

Will come this opportunity to speak to you today in my capacity as the special opportunity on the right to health.

We have watched this horror of a genocide in Gaza unfold over the past 11 months.

It is important to note that even before October the 7th, the situation was already incompatible with the realisation of the right to health.

And this current episode represents another amongst many episodes of a display of a recalcitrant repundant attitude of an occupying regime as well as its powerful global allies.

And this current episode of an ongoing enactments of a decades long genocidal plans is systemic and it's sustained imperialist violence that experienced by Palestinians every single day since the occupation.

According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, as of 14 September, approximately 41,000 Palestinians have been killed, 95,000 injured.

And in the past 24 hours alone, 24 Palestinians were killed and 57 more injured that we can account for.

With more than 50 days having passed since, the International Court of Justice issued a landmark advisory opinion declaring Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories encompassing the West Bank, including E Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, as illegal under international law, emphasising that Israel's actions amount to annexation.

Yet Member States, with all the implications of the ICJ opinion and their obligations to comply, have chosen not to do so.

And days into this current war and a genocide, I did warn that the Gaza's medical infrastructure was on the path of being irreparably damaged and that healthcare providers were working in a dire situation and that the right to health itself was being targeted.

And the long term trauma that the people in Gaza will carry with them because of this enduring intergenerational physical and mental health and the impact of racism and structural discrimination cannot truly be quantified.

We are yet as a world, even as clinicians and doctors such as myself, yet to develop a matrix to truly measure the true impact of what this genocide has meant.

The compounding effect of what this situation is remembering very well that even before October the 7th, life was not conducive to dignity in the Gaza Strip.

And so the attacks on hospitals, on healthcare workers are on a scale we have never seen before and the right to health has been decimated at every single 11.

Today, only 17 out of the 36 hospitals are partially functional and maintain some minimal service.

And only 58 out of 132 primary healthcare facilities are functional as they struggle to save lives amid critical shortages of healthcare workers trickling supplies of fuel, medical items.

And we know with the polio vaccination programme right now, a lot of children have received their first dose of vaccine.

However, they and their families continue to face bombardment when they try to reach those facilities.

They are still at risk of bombardment when they depart those facilities.

So the continued concern for the right to health is still continuing, as we see with the kinds of illnesses such as skin disease and waterborne illnesses.

Acute mental health distress that continues that we cannot have a silent approach that looks at only one solution and does not take into account the fact that for Gaza to recover, for a health system to do what it needs to do, there has to be an immediate ceasefire, and that is not something that should be negotiated.

An immediate ceasefire is absolutely necessary.

My mandate continues to receive information regarding arrest and detention of healthcare workers specifically, and this demonstrates a pattern that even when medical personnel are on duty, they are also being forced to evacuate hospitals.

They are being harassed to leave their patients behind.

Some are arrested, some are lying and killed under those circumstances of torture, repeatedly being beaten in prison with their bodies showing signs of torture.

And I have communicated in an urgent appeal to Israel some of these concerns.

So the destruction of the health system right now is created by this genocide is completely incompatible, but it's been enabled by Israel and its allies to be able to continue.

There must be an end to the occupation.

There must be an immediate ceasefire.

We must allow critical medical supplies and secure the safety of healthcare workers to reach every single facility, Expedite medical evacuations for everyone who needs them.

And my last point is that the intimidation and harassment of United Nations staff and experts who are carrying out their mandate must be stopped.

And this issue must be taken seriously as we are all operating within mandated work and there is no place for harassment, intimidation or even reprisals for people who are working with the United Nations, including targeted intimidation and harassment of experts.

And genocide is incompatible with realisation of the right to health and peace follows liberation.

And as you can see, there is no way that we can extinguish the human desire for freedom.

And this is ultimately about the freedom of the people to self determine.

Thank you very much.

Thank you, special Rapporteur, and thank you to all the experts for sharing their Statesman statements today.

We'll open for questions now.

Take some questions in the room 1st and then move to those of you joining us online.

If I could please ask you to state your name and organisation menu.

[Other language spoken]

I work for FH Spanish News Agency.

[Other language spoken]

One of is for Mr Arroyo.

I would like to know if he considers that water is being used as a weapon of war in Gaza concretely, and if you remember any other case or situation where water has been used in this way in a war.

And for all the participants, if you could briefly say if you agree or not from the own, from the perspective of your own mandate if there is genocide in Gaza.

[Other language spoken]

Yes, unfortunately there are other cases.

What is more and more use used as a as a weapon against civilian population, not against the other army.

I have cases also at present in, in the border between Syria and Turkey in the region of, in the Aluk population and other cases.

We are seeing also in some way also this kind of strategy in, in Ukraine also, but nothing comparable, similar to the case of of not just Gaza, but Palestinian in general, occupied Palestinian because it's something that is organised from 50 years ago.

And now during the war in, in Gaza, it was explicit.

It was not just to say no, no, explicitly recognised we will cut water, food and medicaments.

So this is I, I used to say just in order to know when international law qualifies the systematic blockade of food.

Normally we talk more on food.

It's OK as a crime against humanity in the category of extermination.

This is the Rome Institute water.

I remember to you that water is the main food we need human beings, and it is irreplaceable.

But at the same time, if drinkability is not guaranteed, it becomes the most terrible vector of disease and death that exist in the world.

So in this case, this is clearly employed as a weapon in Gaza against Palestinian civil population.

The second part of Isabel's question was directed at all of the experts.

Would anybody like to respond?

Maybe I repeat, the question is that if you consider from the own perspective of your mandate, if if there is genocide, well, some of you already said, but not all of you in Gaza, genocide in Gaza and why, if you can just make an statement of this?

[Other language spoken]

Jack yes, thank you for the question.

I think that genocidal intent has been proven from the beginning already.

At the hearing of South Africa's application, we had a lot of statements by Israeli officials stating many of them that Palestinians are animals that cannot be treated according to the international rules of conducting the war.

And since then the situation has getting much, much worse, as already Mrs Albanese statements have been analysing.

So I think that there is not any more a question about that.

Would any of the other experts?

[Other language spoken]

Yes, I was, as I was listening to my distinguished colleagues, I said how nice it is to speak a common language because I mean we are, there are many special rapporteurs who have signed statements announcing since mid-october the risk of genocide, serious risk of genocide and that's November and unfolding genocide ongoing.

Our colleague, the Special Rapporteur on the right to food, has published, has published an astonishing report on how food sovereignty has been attacked, leading to salvation, to salvation being a tool of war.

But let me go back to the question that was asked concerning concerning water.

I agree, of course, with my colleague, the special report on the right to water, concerning water being used as a tool of war, but here the context is not that of a conflict.

And please, please, media and journalists, we need to get the framing right.

The ICJ advisory opinion that's called out the Israel colonisation enterprise, settler colonisation enterprise in the occupied Palestinian territory other than by name.

Therefore, you have to keep in mind that water, including in the West Bank and E Jerusalem was already being used not just as a tool of war, as a tool to encourage to, to push people into forced displacement.

Because the the per capita water distribution was 80% of the total water.

Water buzzins that have been encircled by the wall and by settlements for the settlers who shouldn't be Israeli settlers who shouldn't be there in the 1st place, and 20% for the for the Palestinians.

So we are talking of 300 litres per capita per the Israeli settled, per Israeli settlers, at 70 litres per person on average to the Palestinians.

So this is the context and we shouldn't miss the forest for the trees.

Israel is has put forward a settler colonial enterprise in what remains of historical Palestine, and it is it is to be stopped now.

[Other language spoken]

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[Other language spoken]

I represent the Wired publication in India.

The two questions you constantly refer to, the double standards and hypocrisy of the Western nations that would that include the United States, because you constantly reflect, refer to the European Western states.

And also I want to know that, you know, India's sort of in terms of weapons that are being used which are destroying much of the assets of Palestinian.

Are there Indian bombs which are being used?

Is there any sort of awareness or knowledge on this issue?

This is a question open to all, so thank you.

Miss Adonisi, will you take that question?

Yes, happy to.

I in fact I was thinking after answering the previous question, sometimes we have, we are unfair because international community is is made of so many States and we need to be very critical.

But in fact, I would like to make sure that when we are critical, we do not over shadow the incredible, incredible shift that has provoked by states like South Africa.

And now I mean from South Africa to Chile, there has been a reaction from the Global South and I want to acknowledge the States and thank the states to save what remains to be saved over of the international law based system.

When when we talk of hypocrisy and double standards, I don't think that this is a prerogative of the of the Western countries only, though there are countries in the Arab regions and other countries in the global S who have proven to be strong allies of Israel at the expense, at the expense of life and dignity of the Palestinians.

But let me say of the future of the Israelis as well.

Because a society which is traversed by genocidal, by a genocidal goal, by a genocidal force has very little, has very little to be happy and to live safe.

I mean very little to be happy about or and to feel safe with and concerning Indian weapons.

No, I personally, I'm personally not aware about it, but this is, I mean, the the involvement of the military and security sectors in the crimes that are committed in the context of Israel's settler colonial occupation of what remains of Palestine is something I intend to investigate as soon as possible.

In fact, it was my plan to do that last year.

And then the genocide happened and this was postponed.

But thank you for thank you for your input.

[Other language spoken]

I fully agree with what Miss Albanese has said.

Just because there was a direct question regarding United States, I must say that of course, United States have not showed any kind of leadership in order to stop the what's happening the, the, the, the, the great tragedy in Gaza.

Instead, they have invited, as you know, for the first time, Israeli Prime Minister Mr Netanyahu, in very celebrating speech in the capital.

And the little that it has been done regarding sending arms to Israel has not changed the situation, but practically it was, in my eyes at least, a PR relationship.

So I really expect in this issue to be one of the issues of the debate towards the presidential elections, exactly because I said in my introductory remarks, I do not consider that an isolated issue, an isolated fact.

As also my colleague Petra Rojo has said, it is a kind of test regarding the survival of the international system of based order.

And finally, just as a little remark, there is a lot of hypocrisy at the level of states, not just other states that we have already named.

But one should not also ignore the rising wave of solidarity that is present now throughout the world, both in our European counties, both in the United States and of course in in the global.

SI think that this solidarity of the peoples is one of the main ways to have a different future than the dystopian that now it's evolving before our eyes.

Thank you, Jamie from The Associated Press.

[Other language spoken]

My question is for Miss Albanese.

[Other language spoken]

You mentioned that the United Nations is in jeopardy, I think, if I understood your French comments correctly.

And I just want to make sure we've seen a number of recent strikes in Gaza against schools that have become shelters.

And Israel, of course, says that those strikes are aimed at militants.

So my question is, is the United Nations?

Able to keep militants out of such shelters or somehow ensure that these shelters.

[Other language spoken]

Devoid of any militants.

And if not the United Nations, then who?

Who should be doing that?

[Other language spoken]

Yes, yes, I would like to answer in two parts.

So first, is the UN in jeopardy?

[Other language spoken]

And as the historian Ras Tagalog keep on quoting says, the fact that Israel was born as a state of exception to international law and to know the rules set by the possible war to order has not helped.

In fact, I do believe that Israel has been a constant violator of international law, including use Coggins norms that admit to no derogation like the prohibition of apartheid and racial segregation and the prohibition of sorry and the duty to respect the the right of self determination of the Palestinians.

But of course, the list is long because Israel has committed war crimes and potentially crimes against humanity against the Palestinian people far before in four decades before the 7th of October.

So yes, I mean, this is, this is a bonus in the, in the UN system.

I'm not saying that there are no other violators of international law and UN resolution, but surely Israel is a, is a has a systemic pattern and the impunity that has been granted has enabled it's, it's hubris in standing against every and any UN, UN norm international law provision, including the ICJ 2 ICJ advisory opinions and three sets of ICJ provisional measures to prevent genocide.

Now going to the militants, it seemed to me that again, we are facing a framing problem.

Now I know what I'm, I mean, I'm aware that what I'm going to say, it's going to sound quite problematic to those who seem to believe that Israel is allowed to do anything it pleases in the occupied Palestinian territory.

But because Israel's presence is unlawful in the occupied Palestinian territory, it constitutes an aggression against the right of self determination and the Palestinians, like it or not, have the right to to resist the oppression.

Of course, within the realm and within the limits of the law.

Therefore, civilians cannot be targeted, killed or taken hostages, no question.

But you are your question makes me think that there is a justification for Israel's ******* against the the the Palestinians in Gaza, including what might legitimately constitute resistance.

And this is problematic because you, I don't think that Israel will ever succeed eradicating Hamas because again, and this is beyond what under international humanitarian law constitute A legitimate military purpose.

I've said it over and over together with other international law experts, but again, you cannot eradicate the legitimate expectations of people to have freedom and dignity because this is what is at stake here.

And rest assured that the Palestinians will continue to resist like any people who has been under colonial colonial rule and and the history is replenished of experiences of people breaking the yoke of colonisation after enduring years of conjugation and repression.

Palestinians are not an exception.

[Other language spoken]

Nina Larsen, FP, I wanted to follow up on the question about the the UN being in danger.

Israel, as you've said has had a fairly contentious relationship with the UN since for years and years, but it's obviously reached a low point now.

I mean, how do you see that impacting the UN's work in general, impacting your own work and also sort of this, the fact of ignoring rulings, is that having an impact on other countries, do you think?

Yeah, and their relationship to the UN?

[Other language spoken]

Which of the experts would like to take that question?

Would it be, I don't know when, I'm very, very close to us.

[Other language spoken]

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[Other language spoken]

The second travel we are obliged by the rapporteurs is not possible because the UN has no money for this is obligation.

This is the punishment that we are, we have at present in the United Nations.

It should be a scandal, an international scandal, because the main powers are delaying the payment.

They are they are obliged, they are compromised and committed is a direct impact on the daily functioning of of the United Nations.

But the problem is is much bigger, of course, because is the is the fact that is at present many people says, well, United Nation is not useful.

And what happens after this when the Criminal Court make a decision, when the council, the Security Council make decisions and is nothing is respected and the main powers doesn't do nothing, doesn't do anything.

We are blowing up the the United Nations if we don't react at the same time.

I used to say, and is my position, just my position, is a great opportunity for reacting, for changing the needs, the things that we need to change in this United Nation that continue to be an institution that we need more than ever.

So perhaps this situation, this critical situation, is the opportunity for rethinking what to do in front of this.

[Other language spoken]

The Secretary General has recently said that the situation in Gaza and the associates did that also with Ukraine.

The deadlock of the Security Council, I'm quoting now may have, may have perhaps fatally undermined the latter's authority, the Security Council.

It is not an issue just for the Security Council.

We see a deepened divide between North and South.

Of course there are conflicting interests, but in order to be able to work in a factional, if not harmonious in the national order, a first obligations is for everybody to respect the United Nations rules.

This not happening in the case of Israel, and you are very right to say that it is not just what's happening on the ground.

We have some very direct attacks, insults of **** Israeli officials against the United Nations.

I hope that it is not going to be continued.

I trust that the progressive and democratic citizens of Israel would not let their country become a pariah like South Africa has become during the times of apartheid.

[Other language spoken]

I I share what my colleagues have said, although I think that it's unavoidable for Israel to become a pariah in the face of its continuous, relentless, vilifying ******* on the United Nations on top of millions of Palestinians.

But this year, the UN Secretary General, the General Assembly, the Human Rights Council have been constantly by not that it has not happened before, but never with its intensity.

And also let me shed light on what has happened to Anwar.

Anwar, which is not only a lifeline for Palestinians in the occupied by Palestinian Terry territory today, but also Israel.

Anwar represents as a subsidiary organ of the General Assembly an untouchable mechanism that testifies the permanent responsibility of the United Nations to where the Palestinian people feel their question of self determination and the right of return of millions of Palestinian refugees is not addressed and resolved.

And this year, UNRWA has been attacked physically and functionally.

It has had all around 2200 staff members killed.

70% of UNRWA infrastructure has been either destroyed or severely damaged.

UNRWA premises have been attacked while sheltering thousands, thousands of civilians.

And on top of it, UNRWA has been smeared and vilified.

And I wish, I wish.

And of course, wishing in bracket, but I inverted commas.

I wish the attacks were only by Israel, but it seems to me and I I fear sometimes to to be to to be victim of a conspiracy.

But then you put the the numbers together and you see what member states, W especially Western states are doing the funding Anwar and even supporting the Israel's actions against Anwar as an overall attempt to get rid of the agency.

This is so, this is so wrong morally, legally and and put politically, that it is to be looked at, at one symptom of a greater problem.

That is, does Israel deserve to continue to go unpunished for its relentless attacks on the United Nations?

Should there be a consideration of its membership as part of this organisation, which Israel seems to have 00 respect for?

[Other language spoken]

We have a few questions online and since we're running short of time, I just moved to Jeremy from RFI.

[Other language spoken]

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[Other language spoken]

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[Other language spoken]

Humanitarian convoys voice is sold for the distribution.

[Other language spoken]

We have two more questions, Emma from Writers Online.

Thanks for squeezing me in, Miss Albanese.

I wanted to follow up on your remarks about most states remaining inactive at best or assisting Israel's criminal conduct.

In this context, could you comment on Britain's decision to suspend some arms sales to Israel?

Would you applaud them for taking some sort of step in that direction?

Or is there really little point if if some arms are still going through to Israel?

And maybe for Mr Quechu Galas, who spoke about U.S.

policy, I'm wondering if you're hopeful for a shift now that Kamala Harris is the favourite to be the next American president.

Do you see a chance of a weakening of that aid for Israel?

[Other language spoken]

Miss Albanese, will you start off?

Yes, yes, I think that it's much easier to name the states in the West which have done something to get out of the majority.

It's a majority course of action of tolerating and even enabling Israel's conduct.

There has been Spain, Ireland, Belgium, Luxembourg and Slovenia to an extent, Portugal who have been more critical and to a different extent they have taken they have taken steps to correct this.

But in so far there there seem to me to have been to there has been an incredible support for for what Israel has been doing.

I don't see I don't see a change of politics.

And I've had the chance to the chance to comment earlier on British on the British government's decision to suspend.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but what I know has been is that Britain suspended 10% thirty of the 300 licences it has for arm transfers with with Israel.

So numerically it has definitely not done enough.

It has done 10% of its job to comply with with non derogable principles of international law, with the provisional measures of the of the International Court of Justice.

And again, what is most shocking is that countries like Britain continue to have a very hostile attitude toward justice and account accountability.

We shall not forget the asset was the previous government, but the previous UK government who triggered the reconsideration of the ICC jurisdiction over Palestine.

This will go down to in history as one incredible attempt to hamper justice and to and to obstruct accountability.

Of course, you might argue that eventually the UK with you with you this this action.

So it didn't make any submission to the to the ICC, but this was not sufficient because it does meanwhile open the caldron to many other states to challenge the jurisdiction and therefore to delay justice.

So had it been a real retraction, the UK should have made a submission to the ICC, encourage it to spearhead justice.

I mean, this is not what it has done.

Instead, it continues to crack down on freedom of expression and freedom of association in in solidarity with the Palestinians and with the with the Israelis who stand in support of the Palestinians.

But I really trust the British people who seem to continue to stand in solidarity even when even in the face of this crackdown.

Thank you and thank you for the question.

I don't want to directly get involved in elections in any country and especially the United States.

Although it is not a secret, it is very known that we had involvement in these elections by pro Israeli groups, mostly IPAC, which tried to use huge amounts of money so not to have a progressive members of the Congress re elected.

What I expressed exactly, because as I'm also mentioning in my report, is a hope, overcoming this divide between North and South by respecting the United Nations Charter and the rules of the United Nations, is that the United States should reconsider.

I understand, of course, geopolitics, I'm not naive, but I think that their stance regarding Gaza is going to be, let's say, reviewed by many in the Global South.

And this struggle for the minds and the hearts of the peoples in the South is going to be one of the most important bets in the multiporal world in the years to come.

Thank you very much.

We have one more question from Yuri Online.

Yes, thank you for taking my question and thank you for this press conference.

This is maybe a follow up on what was just said by the special reporter George Katrugalos.

And this is also a question about that.

According to data from the UNUNOHCHR, about 12,000 civilians were killed in Ukraine in two.

And a half years of conflict, including now 9 thousands in the territories controlled by Ukraine.

At the same time, at these, 41,000 civilians were killed by the Israelian army in Gaza in less than a year, in 11 months.

However, the Western states, which have imposed unprecedented sanctions against Russia for the violation of international law and UN shelter, do not impose any sanctions against Israel.

And even more, they're delivering weapons, they're publicly supporting the operation in Gaza.

How to explain this difference?

And can we still speak about the existence of international law and order in this case?

I mean, even if for your mandate, how can we speak about international order when the rules are so different from one conflict to another?

[Other language spoken]

As I said from the beginning, the rules are not different, the application is and we cannot anymore stand these kind of double standards and hypocrisy.

I think I was clear, but it's easy for me to repeat it.

Thanks for your question.

[Other language spoken]

Do we have any other questions, Jimmy, maybe the last one because we're sure.

[Other language spoken]

My my question is for Madam Albanese again.

I wanted to just.

There was talk about press reporting, Western press reporting and whatnot.

And I just, I wanted to know if you could tell us just in the course of your recent work, what evidence?

That you have unearthed in the.

Course of your work.

That is not getting out in the press right now that you think there's something that's not being told, a story that's not being told because I assume you have press as part of your sourcing, but other sources as well.

So could you just tell us what, what, what story, what narrative is not being told that is?

I mean, I know you've said a lot of things already, but just specific instances that maybe testify to recent human rights violations or abuses that is not getting enough attention.

[Other language spoken]

Yeah, I will have to ask you to be patient because I have plenty to say in my next report, which is, which walks on the heels of Anatomy of a Genocide.

I wish I could have written another report by now, but the most significant because I, I, I prefer not to not to hamper anything of what I have, what I'm writing.

I don't think that I can really say that I have unearthed any any evidence because I don't have feet on the ground and I need to rely on a variety of actors to put together and analyse the evidence.

But what I think my unadded value is as a special rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian territory is really to offer a bird eyes picture of the reality on the ground, including in a historical context, in a historical fashion so as to help people like you, other journalists and all the more governments with decision making power.

Not the miss not to miss the forest or the trees.

The one thing is I would like to tell you is that it's pretty clear to me that the genocide that we were unable to prevent, and it is to be punished.

I mean, the people who have been the architects and the executors of the genocide in Gaza have to be held accountable.

But the genocide was not prevented.

We have failed to honour one of the major obligations imposed on Member states by the Genocide Convention, which is prevent genocide and then to punish genocide without.

Now the I see the risk of failing once again in the West Bank because the attack that Israel has unlocked, has unleashed, is not just the guy against Palestinians in Gaza, he's against the Palestinians as a whole.

So there is a need to see, to read the writing on the wall and to protect the Palestinians from what it might be in some weeks or months from now, another form of genocide unfolding.

So This is why I'm so I'm so convincingly sounding the alarm not to not to turn a blind eye on what is happening to the entire Palestinian population under Israeli military rule.

[Other language spoken]

Thank you to all the rapporteurs for being here and thank you to all of you.

I'm sorry this ran long, but we'll close the press conference.

If anybody needs the statements we can, whatever statements are already written, we can try to share that.

[Other language spoken]