UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk has warned of “atrocity crimes” in Gaza, urging urgent action to protect civilians and respect international law.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, has warned of “the risk of atrocity crimes” being committed in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and called for the protection of civilians as a matter of “absolute priority.”
“I urge all those with influence to take action accordingly and to protect civilians as a matter of absolute priority,” Turk told a briefing to the Security Council on Friday.
Briefing the Security Council on #Gaza, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, @volker_turk, called for the protection of civilians as a matter of absolute priority. https://t.co/YWRHjzImkz pic.twitter.com/Y6HDWoxoaZ
— UN News (@UN_News_Centre) January 3, 2025
Turk pointed out that a “human rights catastrophe continues to unfold in Gaza before the eyes of the world.”
He said “Israel’s means and methods of warfare have killed tens of thousands of people, inflicted vast displacement, and laid waste to the territory. This has raised utmost concerns about compliance with international law.”
‘Patterns of Attacks’
A recent report by Turk’s office covering the period between 7 October 2023 and 30 June 2024, he said, “documents patterns of attacks on hospitals, starting with Israeli airstrikes, followed by raids by ground troops, the detention of some patients and staff, the forced removal of others, and the withdrawal of troops, leaving the hospital essentially non-functional. “ The report also details the killings of patients, staff, and other civilians.
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“The protection of hospitals during warfare is paramount and must be respected by all sides, at all times,” said Turk, adding that the destruction of hospitals across Gaza “goes beyond depriving Palestinians of their right to access adequate healthcare.”
He said the destruction wrought by the Israeli military’s attacks on the Kamal Adwan Hospital – the last functioning hospital in North Gaza – reflects “the patterns of attacks” documented in the report. The hospital’s director, Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, remains in Israeli custody and is reportedly being held at the notorious Sde Teiman detention center in southern Israel.
Turk pointed out that according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, more than 1,050 medical professionals have been killed in Gaza since October 2023.
“It is important to note that medical personnel are civilians who serve a critical function, particularly in wartime. They enjoy special protections under international law,” he stressed.
136 Strikes on Hospitals
Turk’s office documented “at least 136 strikes on at least 27 hospitals and 12 other medical facilities” in Gaza, which he said caused significant death and injury among doctors, nurses, medical staff and other civilians, and damaged or destroyed many of the buildings targeted.
He stressed that military operations must always distinguish between military targets and civilians. “
UN Human Rights Chief @volker_turk calls on the @UN Security Council & all those with influence to take action to safeguard hospitals and health services in Gaza, to protect civilians as a matter of absolute priority & to ensure accountability for all violations of international… pic.twitter.com/u3dDtn3lYh
— UN Human Rights (@UNHumanRights) January 3, 2025
“The use of heavy weapons against hospitals is difficult to reconcile with that principle,” he noted, adding that “Failure to respect these principles is a breach of international humanitarian law.”
He said intentionally directing attacks against hospitals and places where the sick and wounded are treated, provided they are not military objectives, “is a war crime.”
“Under certain circumstances, the deliberate destruction of healthcare facilities may amount to a form of collective punishment, which would also constitute a war crime,” he emphasized.
Turk continued: “If committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack on a civilian population, such acts may also amount to crimes against humanity.”
Israel’s Allegations
Addressing Israel’s allegations that hospitals were being used by “Palestinian armed groups,” he said: “Israel has not provided sufficient information to substantiate many of these claims, which are often vague and broad. In some cases, they appear to be contradicted by publicly available information.”
“This is why I am calling for independent, thorough and transparent investigations into all Israeli attacks on hospitals, healthcare infrastructure and medical personnel – as well as the alleged misuse of such facilities,” said Turk.
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The UN official also urged Israel “as the occupying Power,” to ensure and facilitate access to lifesaving humanitarian aid including adequate healthcare, for the Palestinian population.
He also appealed to Israel “to end its continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as rapidly as possible, in line with relevant UN resolutions, the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice, and wider international law.”
Ongoing Genocide
The ongoing Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip, which began on October 7, 2023, has led to a humanitarian crisis of unprecedented scale. As the death toll among besieged and starved Palestinian civilians continues to rise daily, Israel is currently facing charges of genocide against Palestinians before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
🚨 BREAKING: Israeli airstrikes intensify in the so-called “safe zone” in southern Gaza Strip, causing widespread damage and casualties. pic.twitter.com/q8FRpY72Ws
— Gaza Notifications (@gazanotice) January 6, 2025
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, at least 45,854 Palestinians have been killed, and 109,139 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7, 2023. The toll is expected to rise further, with at least 11,000 people still unaccounted for, presumed dead under the rubble of their homes across Gaza.
The war, which Palestinians call “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood,” began after a military operation carried out by Hamas on Israeli territory. Israel reports that 1,139 of its soldiers and civilians were killed during the initial attack on October 7. However, Israeli media have raised concerns that a significant number of Israeli casualties were caused by ‘friendly fire’ during the assault.
Humanitarian Disaster
Human rights organizations, both Palestinian and international, have reported that the overwhelming majority of the casualties in Gaza are women and children. The ongoing violence has also exacerbated an acute famine, with thousands of children among the dead, highlighting the severity of the humanitarian disaster.
🚨 Israel may cut humanitarian aid to Gaza under coordination with the Trump administration.
Severe restrictions since Oct 2023 have already led to starvation, deaths, and a worsening crisis.
Human rights groups sound the alarm.#Gaza #HumanRights #MiddleEast… pic.twitter.com/9RQuReSGCR
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) January 5, 2025
The war has displaced nearly two million people from their homes across Gaza, with the majority of the displaced forced into the already overcrowded southern region of the Strip. The population in Gaza remains trapped in the ongoing conflict, with little access to basic necessities such as food, water, and medical care.
(The Palestine Chronicle)
