Published January 13,2024
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The U.N. assist chief on Friday mentioned he was “deeply alarmed” by Israeli ministers’ statements about “plans to encourage the mass transfer” of Palestinian civilians from the Gaza Strip to 3rd nations and he referred to as anew for a ceasefire.
“Unless we act, it will become an indelible mark on our humanity,” Martin Griffiths, the U.N. undersecretary for humanitarian affairs, instructed the U.N. Security Council. “I reiterate my call for this council to take urgent action to bring this war to an end.”
Griffiths painted a dire image of a worsening humanitarian disaster within the Gaza Strip as Israel presses the offensive it launched after the Oct. 7 onslaught into Israel by the enclave’s ruling Hamas Islamists that claimed some 1,200 lives.
Quoting Gaza‘s Hamas-run well being ministry, he mentioned that greater than 23,000 Palestinians have been killed and greater than 58,000 injured since Israel launched the offensive wherein it vows to destroy Hamas.
The “horrific” scenario created by the “relentless” Israeli operation might be seen within the displacement of 85% of Gaza’s 2.3 million Palestinians “forced to flee again and again as the bombs and missiles rain down,” Griffiths continued.
“We are deeply alarmed by recent statements by Israeli ministers regarding plans to encourage the mass transfer of civilians from Gaza to third countries, currently referred to as ‘voluntary relocation,‘” he mentioned.
Such statements, Griffiths mentioned, increase issues “about the possible forced transfer or deportation of the Palestinian population from the Gaza Strip” in violation of worldwide legislation.
The statements by far right-wing Israeli cupboard ministers even have prompted the United States, Israel’s closest ally, to boost related issues.
U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield and her British counterpart, Barbara Woodward, repeated these issues through the assembly.
“These statements, along with statements by Israeli officials calling for the mistreatment of Palestinian detainees or the destruction of Gaza, are irresponsible, inflammatory, and only make it harder to secure a lasting peace,” Thomas-Greenfield mentioned.
Israeli officers together with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu deny they’ve plans to forcibly transfer the Palestinian inhabitants from Gaza.
Ilze Brands Kehris, U.N. assistant secretary-general for human rights, mentioned the excessive civilian casualty toll, large destruction of civilian infrastructure and displacement of civilians “raise very serious concerns about the potential commission of war crimes.”
She warned that the danger of additional grave violations, even atrocity crimes, is actual. Israel denies committing conflict crimes.
The council met solely hours after Israel rejected as false and “grossly distorted” accusations introduced by South Africa within the U.N. International Criminal Court that its offensive is a state-led genocide marketing campaign towards Palestinians.
Source: www.anews.com.tr