Gaza – UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stressed on Monday that “nothing justifies the collective punishment” inflicted by Israel on the people of the Gaza Strip, who are suffering in an “unimaginable” manner.
This comes as UN experts warned that Israel could become an international “pariah” due to its “genocide” in Gaza, and denounced the “double standards” regarding the war in the Strip, stressing the need to hold Israel accountable.
Guterres sharply criticized the way Israel is conducting its war on the devastated Strip, saying, “This is unimaginable: the level of suffering in Gaza, the level of death and destruction is unparalleled in anything I have seen since I became Secretary-General” in 2017.
He added, “Of course, we condemn all attacks by the factions’ movement… but the truth is that nothing justifies the collective punishment of the Palestinian people, and this is what we are witnessing dramatically in Gaza.”
Guterres stressed that “accountability must be necessary” regarding civilian deaths, pointing to “widespread violations” committed by Israel.
In this regard, the UN Secretary-General has repeatedly called for an immediate ceasefire, but the talks mediated by the United States, Egypt and Qatar are still at a standstill, with Israel and the factions exchanging responsibility for obstructing efforts to reach an agreement.
Guterres described the talks as “endless,” expressing his belief that it would be “very difficult” to reach a settlement, while noting at the same time that he remained optimistic.
On the other hand, UN experts warned that Israel could become an international “pariah” due to the “genocide” it is committing in Gaza.
Experts denounced the “double standards” regarding the devastating war in Gaza, and stressed that Israel must be held accountable for its actions.
“I think it is inevitable that Israel will become a pariah against the backdrop of its continued and relentless assault on the United Nations and the Palestinians,” said Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories.
In turn, the Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and just international order, George Katrougalos, stressed that Israel should be treated according to the same standards as all countries, and condemned its repeated attacks on UN officials or UN agencies.
For his part, the Special Rapporteur on the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation, Pedro Araujo-Agudo, warned that the blatant disregard by Israel and its allies for the findings of international courts, the Security Council and other UN bodies regarding the conflict undermines the organization as a whole.
The UN Special Rapporteur on the right to health, Tlaleng Mofokeng, said that they have witnessed the horror of genocide in Gaza since the beginning of the Israeli aggression on the Strip.
Mofokeng explained that attacks on hospitals and health workers have reached an unprecedented level, noting that the health infrastructure in Gaza has been completely destroyed.
She reported that only 17 out of 36 hospitals in Gaza are still operating partially.
The UN official continued: Israel and its allies continue to violate international law by launching attacks on civilians, children and health workers.
It is noteworthy that Israel has been waging a devastating war on Gaza for the 12th consecutive month, leaving more than 136,000 Palestinian martyrs and wounded, most of them children and women, and more than 10,000 missing, amidst massive destruction and deadly famine.
In contempt of the international community, Israel continues this war, ignoring the UN Security Council resolution to stop it immediately, and the International Court of Justice’s orders to take measures to prevent acts of genocide and to improve the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the besieged Gaza Strip.
Source: Agencies
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2024-09-18 16:19:11
What are the implications of the UN Secretary-General’s condemnation of Israel’s actions in Gaza?
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UN Secretary-General Condemns Israel’s Collective Punishment of Gaza Strip
The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has strongly condemned Israel’s treatment of the Gaza Strip, describing the collective punishment inflicted on the Palestinian people as “unimaginable” and “unparalleled”. Guterres made these remarks on Monday, amidst a devastating war that has been ongoing for 12 consecutive months, leaving millions of Palestinians suffering and displaced.
“Nothing Justifies Collective Punishment”
The UN Secretary-General stressed that “nothing justifies the collective punishment of the Palestinian people”, emphasizing that the level of suffering, death, and destruction in Gaza is unmatched in anything he has seen since taking office in 2017. Guterres also condemned all attacks by factions’ movements but highlighted the need for accountability, especially regarding civilian deaths.
UN Experts Warn of International Isolation
Meanwhile, UN experts have sounded the alarm that Israel risks becoming an international “pariah” due to its actions in Gaza, which they have described as “genocide”. The experts have denounced the “double standards” applied to the conflict, stressing the need for accountability and an end to Israel’s impunity.
“Endless” Talks, International Criticism
Guterres expressed his frustration with the “endless” talks mediated by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar, which have yet to yield a ceasefire agreement. He acknowledged the difficulty of reaching a settlement but remained optimistic. The UN Secretary-General’s criticism of Israel’s actions has been echoed by other international organizations, including human rights groups and medical organizations.
Devastating Consequences for Civilians
The war has had devastating consequences for civilians in Gaza, with widespread destruction of infrastructure, including hospitals and health facilities. The UN Special Rapporteur on the right to health, Tlaleng Mofokeng, reported that only 17 out of 36 hospitals in Gaza are still operating partially, and attacks on health workers have reached an unprecedented level.
Call for Accountability and Action
The international community has been urged to take immediate action to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, including providing aid, supporting a ceasefire, and holding Israel accountable for its actions. The UN experts have called for the international community to apply the same standards to Israel as they would to any other country, and to ensure that those responsible for human rights violations are held accountable.
Keywords: Gaza Strip, Israel, United Nations, Antonio Guterres, collective punishment, human rights, international law, accountability, ceasefire, humanitarian crisis.
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– What did UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres say about collective punishment in Gaza?
Here is a comprehensive and SEO-optimized article on the topic of Gaza and the UN Secretary-General’s statement on collective punishment:
Gaza: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Condemns Collective Punishment by Israel
In a strong condemnation, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has denounced the collective punishment inflicted by Israel on the people of the Gaza Strip, stating that “nothing justifies” the suffering and destruction caused by the devastating war. Guterres’ remarks come as UN experts warn that Israel could become an international “pariah” due to its “genocide” in Gaza.
Unimaginable Suffering in Gaza
Guterres sharply criticized the way Israel is conducting its war on the devastated Strip, saying, “This is unimaginable: the level of suffering in Gaza, the level of death and destruction is unparalleled in anything I have seen since I became Secretary-General” in 2017. The UN Secretary-General emphasized that while he condemns all attacks by factions, “nothing justifies the collective punishment of the Palestinian people, and this is what we are witnessing dramatically in Gaza.”
Accountability and Ceasefire
Guterres stressed that “accountability must be necessary” regarding civilian deaths, pointing to “widespread violations” committed by Israel. He has repeatedly called for an immediate ceasefire, but talks mediated by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar are still at a standstill, with Israel and the factions exchanging responsibility for obstructing efforts to reach an agreement.
International Criticism and Condemnation
UN experts have denounced the “double standards” regarding the war in Gaza, stressing that Israel must be held accountable for its actions. Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories, warned that Israel could become an international “pariah” due to its continued and relentless assault on the United Nations and the Palestinians.
George Katrougalos, the Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and just international order, condemned Israel’s repeated attacks on UN officials or UN agencies, emphasizing that Israel should be treated according to the same standards as all countries.
Pedro Araujo-Agudo, the Special Rapporteur on the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation, warned that the blatant disregard by Israel and its allies for the findings of international courts, the Security Council, and other UN bodies regarding the conflict undermines the organization as a whole.
Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza
Tlaleng Mofokeng, the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to health, reported that attacks on hospitals and health workers have reached an unprecedented level, with the health infrastructure in Gaza completely destroyed. Only 17 out of 36 hospitals in Gaza are still operating partially. Mofokeng emphasized that Israel and its allies continue to violate international law by launching attacks on civilians, children, and health workers.
International Pressure Mounts
As the humanitarian crisis in Gaza worsens, international pressure is mounting on Israel to end its devastating war on the Strip. The UN Secretary-General’s condemnation of collective punishment and the warning by UN experts that Israel could become an international “pariah” are significant developments in the ongoing crisis.
Keywords: Gaza, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, collective punishment, Israel, Palestine, humanitarian crisis, international law, war crimes, accountability, ceasefire, human rights, United Nations.
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