The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) indicated on Friday that nearly 70% of victims in the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023 were women and children.
GENEVA, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) — The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said Friday that nearly 70 percent of victims in the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023 were women and men. children.
Underlining the serious humanitarian crisis plaguing the Palestinian enclave and elsewhere, he indicates in a report that as of September 2, he verified the identity of 8,119 Palestinians killed in the Gaza Strip, including 2,036 women and 3,588 children, or 69.27% of the total number of victims.
The report condemns the brutal targeting of Palestinian civilians and serious violations of international law, noting that many of these acts qualify as war crimes.
OHCHR emphasizes that if these acts are part of a large-scale or systematic attack against civilians, linked to the policy of a State or organization, they may constitute crimes against humanity. Furthermore, the report warns that if the intention of these acts is to partially or entirely destroy a national, ethnic, racial or religious group, they may constitute genocide.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, recalls in this report that the International Court of Justice has repeatedly emphasized Israel’s international obligation to prevent and punish acts of genocide, urging Israel to fully and immediately fulfill these obligations.
Mr. Türk noted that this was particularly urgent in light of recent military operations in northern Gaza and Israeli legislation affecting the activities of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Middle East. East (UNRWA).
Israel has not yet reacted to the findings of this report.
The latter also condemns the violent actions carried out by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups against Israeli and foreign civilians. It calls for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages and a focused effort to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.
