The rule of international law is gradually eroding in Gaza and states have an obligation to take action to put an end to these actions, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Volker Türk said in a statement.
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“The rule of international law is now gradually eroding. Either the world shamefully abandons those who desperately need help, or we stand united and put an end to it. To all world leaders, I would like to remind you of your responsibility to ensure respect for international humanitarian law as enshrined in the Geneva Conventions “These are generally accepted and mandatory standards designed to maintain a minimum level of humanity.” – the document said.
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Turk added that under the Genocide Convention, states parties are also responsible for taking measures to prevent such a crime when the danger becomes apparent.
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“For months, I have called on all parties to the conflict, as well as all states, especially those with influence in the region, to take action to put an end to the bloodshed and destruction, to guarantee the prompt and unconditional release of all hostages and to ensure respect for international humanitarian law and international human rights law. But this continues again, again and again,” the head of OHCHR emphasized.
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On October 7, 2023, Israel was subjected to an unprecedented rocket attack from the Gaza Strip.
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After this, militants from the Palestinian Hamas movement entered the border areas, opened fire on military and civilians, and took more than 200 hostages. According to the authorities, about 1.2 thousand people died on the Israeli side.
In response, the Israel Defense Forces launched Operation Iron Swords, which included attacks on civilian targets, and announced a complete blockade of the Gaza Strip: supplies of water, electricity, fuel, food and medicine were stopped. According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, since the beginning of the conflict, more than 42 thousand Palestinians have been killed and over 100 thousand injured.
