Israel attack in Gaza

UN Commissioner Türk: “Situation in Gaza is terrible”

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Austrian Volker Türk, is very concerned about the Israeli attacks on Rafah. He accuses Israel of "collectively punishing the Palestinians" following the Hamas terror of October 7.

"This collective punishment of the Palestinians, especially the cut-off of humanitarian aid, is a violation of international humanitarian law," Türk told the Ö1 "Morgenjournal" program. He had "serious concerns" that Israel's actions were proportionate.

"I can't really think of any more words"
Türk, who is taking part in a meeting of EU development ministers in Brussels on Monday, described the situation in Rafah in the south of the Gaza Strip as "terrible. I can't really think of any more words to describe the situation at the moment".

Before the war, Rafah had a population of around 300,000 people. Now there are 1.4 million - without sufficient food and humanitarian support. Many had witnessed their family members being killed, Türk continued.

"To launch another attack in a situation like this, I ask myself: what else needs to happen?" the Austrian emphasized. Around 100,000 people have now been "severely" affected in one way or another by Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip. 27,000 people have been killed, 70 percent of them women and children. There are also around 60,000 to 70,000 injured.

UN has "unfortunately become a pawn" in the conflict
The UN has "unfortunately become a pawn" in the conflict, Türk regretted, emphasizing that the "UN is not part of a war". However, it is obliged to denounce violations of international humanitarian law. Türk reported that the UN and he personally were being attacked for this: "This scapegoat mentality is a very bad thing."

Türk: "No one can replace"UNRWA aid
Türk also defends the aid organization for Palestinian refugees, which has come under fire. "UNRWA does extremely important humanitarian work". "No one can replace" this aid. Some of the aid organization's employees were accused of being involved in the terrorist attacks carried out by the Islamist Hamas in Israel on October 7, in which around 1,200 Israelis were killed and over 200 abducted. UNRWA head Philippe Lazzarini is also expected to attend the meeting in Brussels.