United Nations Human Rights Council
Introduction
The Gaza crisis is turning into, as Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights says, a “carnage”. Till date, over 31,000 people in Gaza have been killed in over five months of incessant Israeli bombing. Of these, 70% are women and children. Over 17,000 children have been orphaned or separated from their families. Three out of four Gazans have been displaced by war. Entire neighborhoods have been systematically destroyed. Starvation is now being used as a weapon of war, with famine set to break out in the next two months. There have been clear and repeated violations of international humanitarian law and possible war crimes on both sides: Israel and Hamas.
Agenda
This has highlighted the pivotal role of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in investigating and addressing human rights violations and breaches of international humanitarian law committed by all parties involved in the Gaza conflict. On its agenda will be documenting incidents of civilian casualties, destruction of infrastructure, and displacement of populations; promoting dialogue between conflicting parties to negotiate both an immediate ceasefire and more long-term peaceful conflict resolution; facilitating unimpeded delivery of and access to aid and assistance to affected populations; and, ensuring that perpetrators of human rights abuses and violations of international law are held accountable for their actions while justice is delivered to victims.
As the Gaza conflict rages, the UNHRC can lead the international community in its quest to end this appalling crisis using principles of peace, reconciliation, human dignity, and justice.