UN rights chief calls for independent probe into civilian deaths at Gaza aid site

Amman, June 3 (Petra) – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Tuesday called for swift, independent, and impartial investigations into the killing of dozens of Palestinian civilians near an aid distribution site in Gaza operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation and urged that those responsible be held accountable.

In an official statement, Türk said, “Attacks against civilians constitute war crimes and serious violations of international law.” He warned that Palestinians are being forced into a deadly dilemma either die of hunger or risk being killed while seeking small quantities of aid delivered through an Israeli-armed humanitarian mechanism.

He condemned the use of armed aid delivery systems, stating that such a model puts lives at risk and violates international standards for humanitarian assistance.

Türk further stressed that the deliberate denial of food and essential relief to civilians constitutes a war crime. He pointed to the cumulative effect of 20 months of deadly violence, repeated forced displacement, widespread destruction, and dehumanizing rhetoric by Israeli leaders, as well as threats to forcibly depopulate Gaza, describing these as among the gravest international crimes.

//Petra// AF

03/06/2025 21:15:45