Türk urges world to avert Gaza humanitarian catastrophe

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Tuesday urged the world to act to prevent the total collapse of critical life-saving support in Gaza, where Israeli strikes continue to kill civilians, including in shelters and health facilities.

“As the complete blockade of assistance essential for survival enters its ninth week, there must be concerted international efforts to stop this humanitarian catastrophe from reaching a new unseen level,” Türk said.

Since 2 March, Israel has prevented the entry of food, fuel and other life-saving assistance to Gaza. Bakeries have now stopped working as flour and fuel have run out, and the remaining stocks of food are being rapidly depleted. “Any use of starvation of the civilian population as a method of war constitutes a war crime, and so do all forms of collective punishment,” the High Commissioner warned.

A reported Israeli plan to declare Rafah governorate as a new “humanitarian zone” would require Palestinians to move there to receive food and humanitarian aid. “Such a plan will almost certainly mean large parts of Gaza and those who cannot easily move, including people with disabilities, those who are sick or injured, and women supporting entire families, will be forced to go without food,” Türk said.

Israel continues to strike locations in Gaza where Palestinian civilians are sheltering.  Between 18 March and 27 April, the UN Human Rights Office recorded 259 attacks on residential buildings and 99 on tents of internally displaced people (IDP).

Most of the attacks resulted in fatalities, including of women and children. Among the strikes on IDP tents, 40 reportedly took place in Al-Mawasi area, where the Israeli army repeatedly directed civilians to seek refuge. “These incidents reflect the pattern we have seen during this escalation, of attacks that raise grave concerns of violations of the principles of distinction, proportionality and precautions. Each of these incidents must be fully investigated. Intentionally directing attacks against civilians not taking a direct part in hostilities would constitute a war crime,” Türk stressed.

There are also serious concerns of additional violations as the Israeli army continues to attack health facilities. On 22 and 24 April, the army reportedly struck the Martyr Mohammad Al Durrah Children’s Hospital, putting it completely out of service.

Meanwhile, Israeli forces have continued to target civilian objects indispensable to the survival of the population. On 21 and 22 April, they conducted apparently coordinated attacks in three governorates, destroying 36 heavy machines, including excavators, water trucks and sewer suction tanks. These were used for relief operations, such as removing debris, distributing water and repairing sanitation systems.

“Such destruction significantly hinders access to water, degrades public health, and obstructs both the delivery of humanitarian aid and conduct of rescue operations, including retrieving the injured and the dead from under the rubble and clearing debris to allow the ambulances to get to the victims,” the High Commissioner said.

Türk reiterated that the cumulative impact of Israeli forces’ conduct in Gaza raises serious concerns that Israel appears to be inflicting on Palestinians in Gaza conditions of life increasingly incompatible with their continued existence as a group in Gaza, reports UNB.

“Third States have clear obligations under international law to ensure that such conduct stops immediately, and they must act accordingly,” Türk said. “They also must search for and bring to justice all perpetrators of crimes under international law, by whomever committed.”