New York: Five months into the assault on Gaza, Israel has lost all credibility in its claims to protect civilians in the besieged strip, a UN expert said Wednesday.
“Israel’s evacuation orders have not made the people of Gaza safer; on the contrary, they have been used to forcibly transfer and confine the civilian population in unlivable conditions,” said Paula Gaviria Betancur, UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons (IDPs).
“I am appalled to hear that Israel intends to extend these orders to Rafah, the only semblance of refuge for nearly 70 percent of Gaza’s surviving population and the only functional entry point for humanitarian aid, should Israel’s demands in negotiations not be met by the unilaterally imposed deadline of March 10,” Gaviria Betancur said.
“Although Rafah has already come under periodic attack by Israeli forces, a full-scale ground assault would lead to unimaginable suffering. Any evacuation order imposed on Rafah under the current conditions, with th
e rest of Gaza lying in ruins, would be in flagrant violation of international humanitarian and human rights law, forcing people to flee to conditions of certain death deprived of food, water, healthcare, and shelter,” the expert said.
Gaviria Betancur noted that few internal displacement crises in recent history could be characterized by such wholesale disregard for the rights of the displaced.
The Special Rapporteur condemned Israel’s continued efforts to obstruct and weaponize humanitarian aid, including through attacks on civilians seeking aid.
“Humanitarian assistance is desperately needed to alleviate the immense suffering of the people of Gaza as well as to prevent further displacement, including potential cross-border displacement. One month ago, the International Court of Justice issued a binding order on Israel to take immediate and effective measures to permit the delivery of basic services and humanitarian aid to Gaza, as part of measures required to prevent the commission of genocide,” she rec
alled.
“Instead, Israel immediately launched a campaign to discredit and defund UNRWA, the backbone of the humanitarian response in Gaza, based on allegations for which Israel has yet to publicly provide any credible evidence,” the expert said.
“The international community must abandon the fiction that Israel will respect the principles of international humanitarian and human rights law in its military operations,” Gaviria Betancur said.
“An immediate and permanent ceasefire, coupled with meaningful measures to document and ensure accountability for atrocities as well as secure the fundamental rights of Palestinians in Gaza, is the only path forward for the sake of our shared humanity,” the UN expert concluded.
Source: Jordan News Agency