UN Human Rights Chief Warns Of Importance To Prevent Conflict In Gaza Is Worsening

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Törk. (Wikimedia Commons/EU2018BG/Bulgarian Presidency)

JAKARTA - The Head of Human Rights of the United Nations (UN) on Monday warned it was very important to avoid worsening the war in Gaza, warning any major explosion could have a broad impact in the Middle East and outside the region.

Speaking ahead of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Volker Turk said the war on Gaza, which has been raging since the October 7 attacks by Hamas armed groups in southern Israel, has spread to neighboring countries.

"I am very concerned that sparks in this barrel could cause a wider fire," Turk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, told Reuters March 4.

"This will have an impact on every country in the Middle East and many countries around it," Turk continued.

He further described the escalation of the military escalation in southern Lebanon between Israel, Hezbollah and other armed groups as "very worrying".

"It is very important to do everything possible to avoid a wider fire," he said.

It is known that the Lebanese Hezbollah Group, which is supported by Iran and Israel, has been involved in hostilities for months along with the Gaza war. This is the worst conflict between them since 2006.

The latest conflict in Gaza broke out when Hamas invaded Israel on October 7 in an attack that killed 1,200 people and resulted in 253 other people being kidnapped, according to Israeli tallies.

The attack sparked an Israeli attack on Hamas-controlled Gaza. The Ministry of Health in Gaza said on Monday, the death toll of Palestinians had reached 30,534, while about 71,920 others were injured, as quoted by Anadolu.

Turk said last week war crimes had been committed by all parties in the conflict between Israel and Hamas. They must be investigated and those responsible for being held accountable, he said.