Volker Turk condemns "mass killings" in Gaza and calls for Israel to be held accountable before the International Court of Justice

In a sharp opening speech at the sixtieth session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, condemned today, Monday, what he described as the "mass killings" of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and the "obstruction of humanitarian aid," emphasizing that Israel must appear before the International Court of Justice to refute the growing evidence of serious violations.

Although he did not describe the ongoing war as a "continuing genocide" as hundreds of UN staff had urged him to do, Turk expressed his horror at the "public use of genocidal rhetoric" and the "shameful stripping of the humanity of Palestinians" by senior Israeli officials, as he put it.

Turk stated that what is happening in Gaza, including the killing of journalists, widespread destruction, starvation of civilians, and deliberate obstruction of aid, represents a series of war crimes that "shock the conscience of the world," pointing out that there is sufficient evidence warranting legal accountability before the International Court of Justice, especially in light of the ruling issued last January which legally obliges Israel to prevent acts of genocide.

For its part, Israel responded through its representative in Geneva, Daniel Meron, accusing Turk of "spreading a speech full of falsehoods," considering that the High Commissioner ignores the "facts and complexities," including the measures that Israel claims to have taken to reduce civilian suffering and ensure security following the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people and the holding of 251 hostages, according to Israeli statistics.

In contrast, the Ministry of Health in Gaza indicates that Israeli military operations have led to the deaths of more than 63,000 people, while an international hunger observatory announced that parts of the strip are suffering from severe famine.

Turk warned of "alarming trends" threatening the international order, including the glorification of violence and the withdrawal of some countries from the multilateral system, emphasizing that "the rules of war are being violated without any meaningful accountability."

The High Commissioner also condemned widespread violations in several other areas, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine, armed conflicts in Sudan, Myanmar, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, calling for urgent international action to restore respect for human rights in the face of global escalation.