Anjali Sharma
GG News Bureau
UNITED NATIONS, 13th Feb. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Monday appealed for restraint over a possible Israeli military incursion in Rafah, warned of potential carnage in Rafah.
OHCHR noted that 1.5 million people are crammed into the southern city on the border with Egypt, and with nowhere further to flee.
Mr. Türk warned a potential full-fledged incursion in Rafah “is terrifying, given the prospect that an extremely high number of civilians, again mostly children and women, will likely be killed and injured.”
He added “Today, sadly, given the carnage wrought so far in Gaza it is wholly imaginable what would lie ahead in Rafah”.
Mr. Turk stressed that the incursion may mean the end of the “meager” humanitarian aid entering Gaza, with huge implications, including for hundreds of thousands of people in the north who are at grave risk of starvation and famine.
“My Office has repeatedly warned against actions that violate the laws of war. The prospect of such an operation into Rafah, as circumstances stand, risks further atrocity crimes,” Mr. Türk said.
He urged Israel to comply with the legally binding orders issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and with the full span of international humanitarian law.
South Africa brought up the case against Israel to the ICJ last month and declared that Palestinians had a right to be protected from acts of genocide, and called on Israel to “take all measures within its power” to prevent such actions and allow aid to enter Gaza.
Mr. Turk said “Those who defy international law have been put on notice. Accountability must follow.”
He added “The world must not allow this to happen. Those with influence must restrain rather than enable. There must be an immediate ceasefire. All remaining hostages must be released. And there must be renewed collective resolve to reach a political solution.”
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