UN rights chief urges immediate cease-fire in Gaza after end of pause

GENEVA (AA) — The resumption of hostilities in Gaza is “catastrophic,” the UN human rights chief has said, urging all parties to ensure an immediate cease-fire.

“I urge all parties and States with influence over them to redouble efforts, immediately, to ensure a ceasefire — on humanitarian and human rights grounds,” Volker Turk said in a statement following the end of a humanitarian pause between Israel and Palestinian group Hamas hours earlier.

Turk stressed that recent comments by Israeli political and military leaders indicating that they are planning to expand and intensify the military offensive are “very troubling.”

“The situation is beyond crisis point,” he warned, noting that thousands of Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, while many more are now in danger of the same fate and others risk being forcibly displaced.

“I remind all parties of their obligation to allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief for civilians in need, throughout Gaza,” he said.

The human rights chief underlined the need for an “immediate end to the violence, the prompt and unconditional release of all remaining prisoners, the cessation of firing of indiscriminate rockets and use of explosive weapons with wide-area effects in populated areas, humanitarian aid commensurate to the immense need and rapid unimpeded access, an end to practices of arbitrary detention by Israel, and concrete steps to avert further disaster, founded on full respect and protection of the human rights of Palestinians and Israelis.”

At least 32 Palestinians were killed and several others injured as Israel resumed attacks in various areas of the Gaza Strip within three hours of the pause ending early on Friday, according to the Health Ministry in the enclave.