The UN rights head laments the “grim milestone” of 40,000 deaths in Gaza

By Desk On Aug 16, 2024

NEW YORK: People gather to protest a campaign event for Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris, on Wednesday. Pro-Palestinian activists organised a ‘Sound the Alarm for Gaza’ protest to disrupt the event, put together by New York Democratic officials as they continue to bring attention to the Israeli aggression in Gaza.—AFP

GENEVA: The UN human rights commissioner lamented on Thursday the “grim milestone” of 40,000 Palestinian deaths allegedly caused by Israel’s 10-month assault on Gaza, charging that the military of that nation had disregarded the “rules of war.” Israel was held accountable by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk for the region’s alarming death toll.

As of Thursday, the Gaza health ministry said that at least 40,005 Palestinians had died and 92,401 more had been wounded in the fighting.

“The world has reached a dire turning point today,” Turk declared in a statement.

The majority of the deceased are minors and women. The Israeli Defense Forces’ persistent disregard for the laws of war has resulted in this unthinkable scenario, he continued.

“It is extremely shocking how many homes, hospitals, schools, and places of worship have been destroyed by the Israeli military.” He stated that both the Israeli military and Palestinian armed organizations, including Hamas, had committed “serious violations” of international humanitarian law, which his office had documented.

He restated the need for an instant ceasefire, the release of Palestinians who had been “arbitrarily detained,” and Israeli captives held in Gaza. Resuming on Thursday were talks for a ceasefire in Qatar.

The most horrific conflict in Gaza’s history, which began over a year ago, has claimed an unbelievable number of lives. There have been at least 40,005 fatalities in the beleaguered Palestinian area.

According to information provided by the health ministry in Ramallah, at least 632 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli soldiers and settlers in the occupied West Bank, on top of the killings that have occurred in Gaza.

In Lebanon, Israeli fire has claimed 570 lives since October. More than 370 Hezbollah fighters have lost their lives, the organization declared. The figure also includes fighters from other parties in Lebanon, such as Hamas and the Amal movement, which is associated with Hezbollah.

Tens of thousands of people have been displaced by the cross-border fire in northern Israel and southern Lebanon. Seven Iranian Revolutionary Guards were slain in an Israeli strike on Damascus in April, one of the at least 25 Hezbollah members who have lost their lives in Israeli strikes in Syria.