The High Commissioner for Human Rights on Friday called for accountability for serious violations by all parties in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Israel.
In a new report, the Office of the High Commissioner listed a wide range of concerns, including unlawful killings, hostage-taking, destruction of civilian property, collective punishment, forced displacement, incitement to hatred and violence, sexual assault and torture. All of these actions are prohibited by international humanitarian law and human rights law.
“The entrenched impunity that our office has reported on for decades cannot be allowed to continue. All parties must be held accountable for the violations observed during 56 years of occupation and 16 years of blockade of the Gaza Strip and up to today,” said Volker Türk.
Attacks on the Yabalia refugee camp
The report highlights, among many others, three specific incidents that have raised serious questions about compliance with international humanitarian law.
Two attacks on the Jabalia refugee camp and one on Al-Yarmouk in Gaza City involved the use of explosive weapons with widespread impact in densely populated areas. The attacks caused enormous destruction and reportedly no warnings or efforts were made to evacuate residential buildings ahead.
Türk called on all parties to immediately end violations and abuses of human rights and international humanitarian law and to promptly conduct independent, impartial, thorough, effective and transparent investigations into all suspected violations.
Two babies accommodated in a single bed at Al-Helal Al-Emirati Maternity Hospital in Rafah.
“Women give birth too early because of terror”
The United Nations Population Fund warned this Friday of the increase in obstetric emergencies in Gaza while remaining health facilities are under “unbearable” pressure.
At Al-Helal Al-Emirati Maternity Hospital in Rafah, only five beds are available for deliveries. It is one of the few hospitals in the southern Gaza Strip still operating.
Staff there have described the horror of the endless stream of injured and sick patients, including pregnant women, new mothers and babies. Newborns die because the mother was unable to attend prenatal or postnatal check-ups or because there is no longer a center to go to.
Midwife Samira Hosny Qeshta explains: “Most of them stopped follow-up after the seventh month. “Now they just come to the birth and hope for the best.”
According to Dr. Ahmed Al Shaer, a pediatrician at the hospital, also paid the highest tribute. “Terror and fear […] lead to premature births. These cases are challenging even on normal days, so imagine that now. “It’s a tragic situation.”
infection risk
In addition, the agency notes that infectious diseases are proliferating in overcrowded and unsafe shelters and hospitals, which are also under attack, while hunger, dehydration and deaths are increasing.
Infections occur in unhygienic toilets and showers, which is particularly dangerous for pregnant women and young children. “Most women have infections,” Qeshta explained. “Toilets are shared and infections can be easily transmitted; even underwear cannot be changed frequently: all this contributes to infections.”
More than three quarters of Gaza's population have been forced to leave their homes since the conflict began on October 7, many of them several times. Most fight in dangerous conditions, with no protection from violence and a thin tent as their only protection from wind, rain and cold.
In the midst of this catastrophe About 5,500 women will give birth next month and have little access to medical careand more than 155,000 pregnant women and Infants are at high risk of malnutrition, the agency warned.
Displaced families continue to live in UNRWA schools in the Gaza Strip.
UNRWA at breaking point
The Commissioner General of the Palestinian Refugee Agency (UNRWA) reported this Thursday in a letter to the President of the General Assembly that the organization had reached a “critical breaking point” with repeated calls from Israel to disband it and the freezing of donor funds at a time of “unprecedented” humanitarian needs in Gaza.
Furthermore, Philippe Lazzarini explained that they made it to Gaza in just over four months More children, more journalists, more medical staff and more UN staff have died than anywhere else in the world. world during a conflict.
More than 150 UNRWA buildings were hit by shelling in the enclave, killing more than 390 people and wounding 1,300. According to UN experts, there is a risk of famine.
The commissioner also pointed to the fact that following the dismissal of 12 agency employees whom Israel accused of being involved in the Hamas attack on October 7, To date, Israel has not provided UNRWA with any evidence in this regard.
The resulting suspension of aid from 16 donor countries totaling $450 million means the organization's work in the Middle East will be severely impacted from March without new funding.
Intentional misinformation
Lazzarini noted that in recent weeks “there have been some concerted efforts by some Israeli officials to… misleading confusion between UNRWA and Hamas”to interrupt the agency's operations and demand its dissolution.
These operations posed risks to the safety of personnel, hindered their mandate to serve Palestinian civilians and made it impossible to operate without Israeli consent, he noted.
Political support
Lazzarini concluded that the General Assembly now faces a “fundamental choice”: either allow UNRWA to be swept away without political consultation and consent from the Palestinians, or choose to allow a moment of crisis to become a catalyst to make peace.
“I call on the General Assembly to provide the political support necessary to sustain UNRWA,” or to provide a path for the organization to “immediately move toward a long-awaited political solution that can bring peace to Palestinians and Israelis.”
If members of the General Assembly choose to support the agency, the Commissioner requested a change to its financing structure to end its reliance on voluntary contributions “which make it vulnerable to broader political considerations.”