UN rights chief Turk warns Israel against possible Gaza ‘war crime’

UN human rights chief warns Israel against large-scale forcible transfer of civilians in conflict-wracked north Gaza, potentially constituting war crime.

United Nations human rights chief Volker Turk on Thursday (October 17, 2024) warned Israel that any “large-scale forcible transfer” of civilians out of conflict-wracked north Gaza could constitute a war crime if not done on “imperative military grounds”.

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“Israel’s evacuation orders appear designed to cut off North Gaza completely from the rest of the territory,” Mr. Turk told a press conference at UN headquarters in New York.

“As bombing and other attacks continue, there are serious concerns about a large-scale forcible transfer of civilians not meeting the requirements of international law for evacuation on imperative military grounds,” he said.

“Forcible transfer of a large part of the population of North Gaza would amount to a war crime.”

Israel is pursuing its offensive against Hamas in Gaza, in the wake of the October 7, 2023 attack by the Palestinian militant group, which resulted in the deaths of 1,206 people, mostly civilians, according to a tally of official Israeli figures.

Israel’s retaliatory campaign in Gaza has killed 42,438 people, the majority civilians, according to data from the Health Ministry in the Hamas-run territory, which the UN considers reliable.