The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, called on “all parties as well as third States, in particular those with influence over the parties to the conflict, to do all in their power to de-escalate this conflict, and to work toward the goal where Israelis and Palestinians can fully enjoy all human rights and live side by side, in peace.”
In a statement on Saturday, Türk added that “compounding the misery and suffering of civilians, Israeli strikes on telecommunications installations and subsequent Internet shutdown have effectively left Gazans with no way of knowing what is happening across Gaza and cut them off from the outside world”.
He continued: “The bombing of the telecommunications infrastructure places the civilian population in grave danger. Ambulances and civil defense teams are no longer able to locate the injured, or the thousands of people estimated to be still under the rubble. Civilians are no longer able to receive updated information on where they can access humanitarian relief and where they may be in less danger. Many journalists can now no longer report on the situation.”
Türk said: “We lost contact with our colleagues in Gaza last night. There is no safe place in Gaza and there is no way out. I am very worried for my colleagues, as I am for all civilians in Gaza.”
He concluded: “The humanitarian and human rights consequences will be devastating and long-lasting. Given the manner in which military operations have been conducted until now, in the context of the 56-year-old occupation, I am raising alarm about the possibly catastrophic consequences of large-scale ground operations in Gaza and the potential for thousands more civilians to die.”
UN Human Rights Chief @volker_turk calls on all parties as well as third States with influence to do all in their power to de-escalate this conflict, and to work toward the goal where Israelis and Palestinians can fully enjoy all human rights and live side by side, in peace.… pic.twitter.com/kAS1RK3Yk9
— UN Human Rights (@UNHumanRights) October 28, 2023
