The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, stated that the images showing the suffering of the hungry in the Gaza Strip are heart-wrenching and represent scenes that cannot be tolerated, emphasizing that the current situation requires a definitive end to the ongoing violence in the region.

Turk pointed out in his statement that the systematic starvation policy pursued by Israel against the Palestinians in Gaza constitutes a blatant violation of human rights, asserting that reaching this miserable humanitarian state is an affront to human dignity and must stop immediately.

He stressed that saving lives should be everyone's priority, calling for the lifting of restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid to the sector, as Israel continues to impose strict limitations on the arrival of aid, exacerbating the suffering of the civilian population.

Turk stated that the aid allowed to enter is far less than the actual need, demanding that Israel immediately permit the delivery of sufficient aid to those in need without obstacles, affirming that this would alleviate suffering and reduce loss of life.

He clarified that depriving civilians of access to food constitutes a war crime, and possibly a crime against humanity, urging the international community to take immediate action to stop these violations.

Turk reiterated his call for the immediate release of Israeli detainees in the Gaza Strip, and urged third parties to refrain from contributing to violations of international law committed by any party to the conflict, emphasizing the necessity of exerting pressure to prevent the continuation of these violations and to put an end to them.

He noted that since the start of its operations on October 7, 2023, Israel has been committing acts of genocide, having intensified its measures on March 2, by closing all crossings to humanitarian, relief, and medical aid, leading to the spread of famine and reaching "catastrophic" levels of its indicators.

These crimes, supported by the United States, have resulted in over 210,000 Palestinians being killed or injured, the majority of whom are children and women, in addition to more than 9,000 missing persons, and hundreds of thousands of displaced individuals, with the number of victims increasing due to the famine that has claimed many lives.