UN official urges states to halt arms to 'Israel' over Gaza violations
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The UN special rapporteur on human rights in counter-terrorism pointed to "a pattern of deliberate indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks harming large numbers of civilians" by Israeli troops.
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Damage to ambulances at the Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza on October 26, 2024 (AFP)
Ben Saul, the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in counter-terrorism, denounced Monday "Israel's" military actions in Gaza, urging states to end their weapons provisions to the occupation regime due to violations of humanitarian law.
During a news conference in New York, Saul emphasized "a pattern of deliberate indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks harming large numbers of civilians" by the Israeli occupation forces.
He pointed to "Israel's" use of "high explosive munitions in densely populated areas, which by nature cannot distinguish between civilians and military targets," as well as its use of famine and denial of food relief as "weapons of war."
Citing concerns over "Israel's" violations of international standards, Saul renewed his appeal "on all States not to provide weapons or munitions to Israel, because that would breach the obligation of other states to ensure respect for humanitarian law."
He also voiced dissatisfaction with "Israel's" failure to heed repeated demands from international organizations to follow humanitarian law.
Read more: Countries restricting weapons to and arming 'Israel': Explainer
"Unfortunately, Israel hasn't taken the message from the Security Council, the International Court of Justice, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, many governments, the General Assembly, and the Human Rights Council," he stated.
UN officials decry dire situation in Gaza; population at risk of death
"Israel's" genocide threatens the whole Gaza Strip's population, UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese maintained.
The UN expert for the occupied Palestinian territory wrote on X on Sunday that the whole population is "at risk of dying in a genocide that has been announced and executed under our watch."
In a subsequent post on Sunday, Albanese stated that 20,000 children are missing in Gaza, with "some maimed beyond recognition," in addition to the 17,000 slain in the previous 12 months.
The entire population of Gaza is at risk of dying in a genocide that has been announced and executed under our watch. https://t.co/0XXWzJHH8S
— Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur oPt (@FranceskAlbs) October 26, 2024
In the same context, Joyce Msuya, acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, cautioned Saturday that the Strip's 2.23 million citizens are at risk of death, underlining that Israeli occupation troops' "blatant disregard for basic humanity" must end immediately, decrying the prevention of food supplies and critical aid from entering the areas.
According to Gaza's Civil Defense rescue personnel, hundreds of civilians have been killed since the Israeli occupation military's horrors began in the northern part of the Strip.
Jonathan Fowler, a spokesman for UNRWA, the UN agency overseeing the distribution of humanitarian aid in Gaza, described what is happening as a "catastrophe within a series of catastrophes."
UNRWA head Philippe Lazzarini expressed that civilians in the North have "no choice but to either leave or starve."
UN human rights experts have cautioned that "Israel" is conducting a "targeted starvation campaign," killing scores of children.
They condemned "Israel's" deliberate starvation effort as genocidal warfare, resulting in widespread hunger in Gaza.
