Geneva – Zaytoun New
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said on Wednesday that reports indicating more than 100 Palestinians, most of them children and women, were killed overnight in a wave of Israeli airstrikes targeting mainly residential buildings, displacement tents and schools across the Gaza Strip are horrific.
He stressed that the laws of war are clear about the paramount importance of protecting civilians and civilian infrastructure, and that Israel must comply with its ongoing obligations under international humanitarian law and is responsible for any violations.
“It is heartbreaking that these killings occurred at a moment when the people of Gaza, who have suffered for so long, had begun to feel a sense of hope that the relentless violence might be over,” Türk said.
He reiterated that all parties must act in good faith to implement the ceasefire, and urged states, especially those with particular influence, to do everything possible to ensure compliance.
“The past two years have brought unimaginable suffering and misery, and near total destruction in Gaza. We must not allow this opportunity for peace and a path toward a more just and secure future to slip away,” he added.
40 Total Count
