Saying Civilians Live in Fear, UN Human Rights Head: Israel Continues to Bombard Gaza

Gazans fled from north to south. (UNRWA/Ashraf Amra)

JAKARTA - The United Nations (UN) Human Rights (HAM) chief on Wednesday called for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza, adding that Palestinians there were living in 'deep fear.'

Volker Türk said that in such "apocalyptic" humanitarian conditions, there is a high risk of atrocity crimes.

"Civilians in Gaza are continuously bombarded by Israel and punished collectively, suffering death, siege, destruction, and deprivation of the most important human needs such as food, water, life-saving medical supplies, and other essential needs on a large scale," he said in a press conference, as quoted from Daily Sabah, December 7.

"Palestinian people in Gaza live in increasingly deep fear," he stressed.

He further explained that around 1.9 million of the 2.2 million people living in the Palestinian enclave had been displaced and forced to live in "dwindling and very crowded places in southern Gaza, in unsanitary and unsanitary conditions." Healthy."

"The disastrous situation we see occurring in the Gaza Strip was completely predictable and preventable. My humanitarian colleagues described this situation as a disaster," explained Türk.

“Under these circumstances, there is an increased risk of atrocity crimes,” said the UN high commissioner.

"As an immediate step, I call for an immediate cessation of hostilities and the release of all hostages," he said.

In addition to Gaza, Türk said the human rights crisis in the occupied West Bank was also "extremely worrying", calling on Israeli authorities to immediately take steps to end "widespread impunity" for violations.

"All parties are aware of what is truly necessary to achieve peace and security for Palestinian and Israeli society. Violence and revenge will only produce more hatred and radicalization," Türk concluded.

"The only way to end this accumulative suffering is to end the occupation and achieve a two-state solution," he concluded.