UN Human Rights Chief calls for ending Israeli occupation massacres in Gaza

GENEVA, July 27 (KUNA) -- United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk called on Sunday on governments around the world to exert all possible forms of pressure on the Israeli occupation to bring a permanent halt to the massacres in Gaza.
He stressed that the failure of the world governments to use their influence could amount to complicity in the commission of international crimes.
In a statement issued from Geneva on the eve of a high-level conference in New York on the peaceful resolution of the Palestinian question and the implementation of the two-state solution, Turk emphasized the urgent need for concrete action by the world's states to ensure that "Israel, as the occupying power in Gaza," complies with its obligations to provide adequate food and essential life-saving needs to the population.
The UN rights chief urged all parties to make tangible progress toward achieving a two-state solution and called on the Israeli occupation to take immediate steps to end its prolonged and illegal presence in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Turk expressed outrage at the unspeakable daily tragedy unfolding in Gaza and the West Bank, denouncing the destruction, killings, and the systematic dehumanization of Palestinians.
"Gaza has become a scene of utter devastation and deadly attacks, where children are dying of hunger before the eyes of the world," he said.
He also condemned the disorganized and militarized distribution systems managed by the so-called "Gaza Humanitarian Foundation" - reportedly supported by the United States and the Israeli occupation authorities - for their failure to deliver aid at the necessary scale.
He revealed that the occupation's forces have killed more than 1,000 people since the end of May as they attempted to access food.
According to Gaza's health authorities, more than 200,000 Palestinians have been killed or injured since October 7 - representing roughly 10 percent of the total population.
Turk also denounced the killing of over 300 UN staff members during the occupation's military operations while they were carrying out their duties.
He further condemned the Israeli occupation's plans to consolidate the illegal annexation of the West Bank and to force Palestinians out of Gaza, warning that ongoing forced displacement has resulted in exhausted and starving people being squeezed into increasingly smaller areas of the strip, warning that such actions further undermine the viability of a two-state solution.
Turk also condemned continued killings by the Israeli occupation forces and settlers in the occupied West Bank, the demolition of Palestinian homes, the cutting of water supplies, and the entrenchment of systems of repression and discrimination.
Reiterating warnings of war crimes and crimes against humanity, the UN human rights chief emphasized the urgent need to prevent genocide, in line with the provisional measures issued by the International Court of Justice.
He reaffirmed the UN readiness to support Palestinians in building their state based on human rights and the rule of law, saying "When that time comes programmes to support victims and survivors will be an important avenue for opening a pathway to accountability and redress." (end) amk.dss