UN human rights chief says widespread disease, hunger inevitable in Gaza

GENEVA: The United Nations human rights chief said on Thursday widespread outbreaks of disease and hunger seemed “inevitable” in Gaza after weeks of Israeli assault on the densely populated Palestinian enclave.

Speaking at an informal briefing to states at the United Nations in Geneva after visiting the Middle East, Volker Turk said the depletion of fuel would have a “catastrophic” impact across Gaza. It would lead to the collapse of sewage systems, health care and end the scarce humanitarian aid being supplied.

“Massive outbreaks of infectious disease, and hunger, seem inevitable,” Turk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said.

The World Health Organization has warned of “worrying trends” in disease spread in Gaza, saying there had been an unusually large number of cases of diarrheal disease in the enclave, where bombardments and a ground operation have disrupted the health system, access to clean water and caused people to crowd into shelters.

In comments to the media after his briefing to UN member states, Turk said lasting peace was impossible without an end to longstanding violations of human rights.

“Warnings by my office and others about human rights violations over many years have been ignored, not only in Israel and in the occupied Palestinian territory, but also by states with influence on the parties to this crisis,” he said.

“This needs to change for this conflict to be enduringly resolved.”

Turk, who described the bombardment by Israel as “of an intensity rarely experienced in this century,” also expressed concern about increasing violence and discrimination against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

“In my view, this creates a potentially explosive situation, and I want to be clear: we are well beyond the level of early warning,” Turk told states.

“I am ringing the loudest possible alarm bell about the occupied West Bank.”