The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, issued an urgent call on Friday for the Israeli government to halt its plan for a complete military takeover of the Gaza Strip. This statement comes after the Israeli security cabinet approved a large-scale military invasion of the Palestinian territory, a measure that Türk considers to be contrary to international law.
Türk emphasized that, according to a ruling from the International Court of Justice, Israel must end its occupation and seek a two-state solution that guarantees the right to self-determination for the Palestinian people. The High Commissioner stressed that an escalation of the conflict between Hamas and Israel would only worsen the humanitarian crisis, resulting in increased forced displacement and suffering in Gaza. Instead of escalating hostilities, he urged Israeli authorities to focus on saving lives by allowing unrestricted humanitarian access.
Additionally, Türk called for the immediate release of all hostages held by Palestinian armed groups, as well as the release of Palestinians arbitrarily detained by Israel. Humanitarian agencies have warned since the conflict began that military actions and access restrictions have created a humanitarian disaster in Gaza. According to reports from UN staff, there is an alarming lack of food, and aid workers have noted that the assistance reaching the area is insufficient, despite Israeli statements about military pauses intended to improve the situation.
Since late May, over 1,373 Palestinians have lost their lives trying to access food, a number that continues to rise. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director of the World Health Organization, has warned about the limited access to basic services and the growing malnutrition in Gaza, where in July it was reported that nearly 12,000 children under the age of five were suffering from acute malnutrition, the highest figure documented to date. These alarming statistics highlight the urgent need for a ceasefire and immediate humanitarian actions to alleviate the suffering of the population in this territory.
via: MiMub in Spanish
