U.N. leader: Israel's total Gaza takeover plan must be halted
Aug. 8 (UPI) -- The United Nations' human rights chief on Friday joined several nations' leaders condemning the plan by Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to expand military control of the Gaza Strip.
Volker Turk, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, said in a statement: "The Israeli Government's plan for a complete military takeover of the occupied Gaza Strip must be immediately halted."
Netanyahu's decision, approved by Israel's Security Cabinet overnight Thursday, was sharply criticized by Arab leaders, as well as leaders who are close allies of Israel, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, European Council President Ursula von der Leyen and European Commission President Antonio Costa.
Germany announced it will suspend exports of arms to Israel that could be used in the Gaza Strip "until further notice.
China, Australia and Pakistan have expressed concern, but Israel's closest ally, the United States, has not criticized the decision.
Hamas said Israel's stance "constituted a war crime" and they are "taking all steps necessary to pave the way for an agreement."
Turk said Israel's plan "runs contrary to the ruling of the International Court of Justice that Israel must bring its occupation to an end as soon as possible, to the realization of the agreed two-State solution and to the right of Palestinians to self-determination."
Turk said further escalation "will result in more massive forced displacement, more killing, more unbearable suffering, senseless destruction and atrocity crimes."
Though he said "the war in Gaza must end now," he said Israelis and Palestinians "must be allowed to live side by side in peace.
Turk said Israel, instead of intensifying the war, "should put all its efforts into saving the lives of Gaza's civilians by allowing the full, unfettered flow of humanitarian aid. The hostages must be immediately and unconditionally released by Palestinian armed groups. Palestinians arbitrarily detained by Israel must also be immediately and unconditionally released."
An estimated 90% of Gaza's 2.4 million residents have been displaced, the Agency for Palestinian Refugees said in May.
Hamas invaded Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, with 1,000 people killed and 250 taken hostage. Israel began the war that day and more than 61,000 Palestinians, including women and children, have died, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry.
Famine became widespread in Gaza when Israel blocked the entry of humanitarian aid in March.
In July, nearly 12,000 children under 5 were identified as suffering from acute malnutrition with the situation worsening, said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the head of the World Health Organization.
On Thursday, he said so far this year that 99 people have died from malnutrition, including 29 under 5. He noted these numbers are likely underestimates.
On July 27, Israel said there would be daily military pauses so aid can be delivered by the newly formed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
Since May 27, at least 1,373 Palestinians have been killed seeking food: 859 near the foundation and 514 along the convoy routes, according to the Agency for Palestinian Refugees.
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