UN Rapporteurs Speak of ‘The Horrors of Genocide’ in Gaza

Tlaleng Mofokeng, UN Special Rapporteur on the right to health said they have witnessed “the horror of genocide in Gaza” since the start of the Israeli aggression on 7 October, 2023.

This came in a joint press conference held by Mofokeng with other UN rapporteurs, Monday, on the situation in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories, within the framework of the 57th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Horrors of Genocide

Mofokeng added Gaza witnessed genocide in the last 11 months by the Israeli occupation, explaining attacks on hospitals and health workers have reached an unprecedented level, pointing to the complete destruction of the health infrastructure in Gaza.

She reported that only 17 out of 36 hospitals in Gaza continue to operate partially, noting that Israel continues to violate international law by launching attacks on civilians, children and health workers.

In turn, the Special Rapporteur on the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation, Pedro Araujo-Agudo, highlighted the water crisis in the Gaza Strip.

He added currently, the people of Gaza live on an average of 4.7 liters of water per person per day, while the World Health Organization has set the minimum required amount of water in times of emergency at 15 liters.

Open Catastrophe

As for the UN Special Rapporteur on the International System, George Katrougalos, he said what is happening in the Palestinian territories is “an open catastrophe for everyone.”

He added this catastrophe and tragedy is not limited to the Palestinians only, but is directly linked to the future of multilateralism and the standards of the United Nations.

Katrougalos called for the immediate recognition of the State of Palestine, and for all countries to exert pressure to stop the war on Gaza.

For her part, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, said the Israeli attacks on Gaza have reached a worrying level and have extended to the West Bank as well.

She added that the Israeli “genocidal attacks” for nearly a year have destroyed the basic infrastructure in the Palestinian territories.

CrossFireArabia

CrossFireArabia

Dr. Marwan Asmar holds a PhD from Leeds University and is a freelance writer specializing on the Middle East. He has worked as a journalist since the early 1990s in Jordan and the Gulf countries, and been widely published, including at Albawaba, Gulf News, Al Ghad, World Press Review and others.

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Bernie Sanders Says Israel is Despicable

Independent US Sen. Bernie Sanders sharply denounced Israel’s ongoing blockade of the besieged Gaza Strip, and its plan to greatly expand the war and occupy the coastal enclave.

“64 days with no aid reaching Gaza. No food, no water, no medicine. Children are starving,” Sanders said in a statement posted on X. “Netanyahu’s extremist government now says it will occupy Gaza and put mercenaries in charge of distributing aid, instead of the UN and other aid groups. Despicable. No more US support for Netanyahu’s war machine.”

Earlier in the day, Israel’s Security Cabinet unanimously approved a plan to expand its ongoing military onslaught on the Gaza Strip and occupy territories inside the enclave.

In a statement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the Cabinet approved “the operational plan” submitted by army chief Eyal Zamir to “defeat (Palestinian group) Hamas” and for the return of Israeli captives held in Gaza.

According to the statement, the plan requires the army “to conquer Gaza and hold the territory under its control.”

Israeli Channel 12 reported that the plan also includes the forcible relocation of Palestinians from northern Gaza to the south, according to Anadolu.

More than 52,500 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed in Gaza in a brutal Israeli onslaught since October 2023.

In November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.

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