Geneva
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, condemned Israel on Monday for the “mass killing” of Palestinian civilians in Gaza and for obstructing the delivery of lifesaving aid, calling the situation a matter for the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Speaking at the 60th Human Rights Council session in Geneva, Turk highlighted the destruction, civilian suffering, and attacks on journalists, describing them as shocking the conscience of the world. While he stopped short of labeling the conflict a genocide, he denounced “disgraceful dehumanization” and genocidal rhetoric by Israeli officials.
Turk noted mounting evidence of war crimes and referenced the ICJ’s January ruling obligating Israel to prevent acts of genocide. Israel rejected genocide accusations, citing its right to self-defence after Hamas’s October 2023 attack that killed over 1,200 people and captured 251 hostages. Gaza’s health ministry reports nearly 63,000 deaths from Israel’s subsequent operations, with famine affecting parts of the territory.
Beyond Gaza, Turk warned that global human rights and the international order face erosion, citing widespread violations in Ukraine, Sudan, Myanmar, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. He criticized the glorification of violence, diminishing multilateral accountability, and the disregard for the rules of war.