Image Source: United Nations
World – United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has issued a grave warning to the Security Council, stating there is a “high and increasing risk that atrocity crimes are being committed in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.”
His remarks come in the wake of the recent discovery of a mass grave in Gaza, where the bodies of 15 humanitarian workers, including paramedics and civil defence members, were found.
“I am appalled by the recent killing of 15 medical personnel and humanitarian aid workers, which raise further concerns over the commission of war crimes by the Israeli military,” he said.
Türk pointed out that civilian infrastructure continues to be targeted, including hospitals, schools, and areas where innocent Palestinians had been ordered to move.
He added that the reprieve granted by the ceasefire “has been shattered,” noting that more than 1,200 Palestinians, including at least 320 children, have reportedly been killed by Israeli operations since 1 March.
Moreover, Türk condemned the ongoing blockade on Gaza, now stretching into its second month. “The blockade and siege imposed on Gaza amount to collective punishment and may also amount to the use of starvation as a method of war,” he said.
He highlighted the World Food Programme’s closure of 25 bakeries on 1 April, which has left many without access to bread, an essential staple. “We are witnessing a return to the breakdown of social order that preceded the ceasefire,” he warned.
Türk also voiced concern over rhetoric from senior Israeli officials about seizing and dividing Palestinian territory, stating that it “raises grave concerns about the commission of international crimes.”
While acknowledging the “horrific attacks” of October 2023, he stressed: “Nothing can justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people” and called for the immediate restoration of the ceasefire.
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“Many Appalling Records Broken” in Gaza
Younes Al-Khatib, President of the Palestine Red Crescent Society, echoed Türk’s alarm. “Many appalling records have been broken in this war,” he said, referring to the highest number of aid workers killed in any conflict.
Al-Khatib described the recently uncovered mass grave where 15 first responders, including eight Red Crescent paramedics, six civil defence members, and one UN officer, were buried after being killed while on duty.
He referred to detailed mission documentation, including dispatch logs and eyewitness accounts. One team member, Asad Al-Nasasra, reported that his team had come under fire and several colleagues had been injured. Al-Nasasra remains missing.
“We call on the Israeli occupation forces to provide information on his fate,” he urged.
Al-Khatib called on the Security Council for a thorough investigation, the resumption of humanitarian aid, and a return to the ceasefire.
