OHCHR: targeting humanitarian workers could amount to war crimes

Jeremy Lawrence, Spokesperson for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), underscored on Friday the need to ensure humanitarian access and protection, stressing that the targeting of humanitarian workers could amount to a war crime. Speaking in a press conference, Lawrence called for accountability and an independent investigation into all violations of international human rights and humanitarian law. He condemned the killing of the seven World Kitchen Organisation workers by the Israeli Occupation entity, adding that more than 200 humanitarian workers have been killed in Gaza so far including 180 UNRWA staff. Lawrence described the grave violations, destruction and suffering inflicted on civilians in Gaza over the past six months as "unprecedented" and warned of the existing risk of further brutal crimes. He reiterated the call by the High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk for accountability for the serious violations of international human rights and humanit arian law as well as a renewed resolve to reach a political solution to ensure Palestinians' rights to self-determination, equality and non-discrimination, saying "the occupation must end. This should not just be rhetoric but action is needed now". Lawrence noted that following latest attacks on NGOs including the World Central Kitchen and American Near East Refugee Aid (Anera) have suspended aid delivery and distribution to Palestinians in Gaza increasing the already real risk of more deaths from famine and disease at larger scale. He called on the Israeli occupation entity to respect international law to provide food and medical care commensurate with the needs of the Palestinian population and to facilitate the work of humanitarian organisations. He also expressed his sadness and outrage on the devastation and death toll in Gaza. He said over 33,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, are killed, 75,000 others are injured and at least 7,000 are presumed dead under the rubble. "Huge swathes of Gaza have been bombed into oblivion. The Gaza Strip has changed forever," he added. Source: Kuwait News Agency