70% of Gaza conflict victims are women and children

The UN human rights chief has called for accountability for the serious violations and potential war crimes committed in Gaza, following the release of a new report on Israeli actions during its ongoing conflict with Palestinians.

The report details the suffering experienced by both the people of Israel and Gaza since October 7, 2023.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk emphasized the importance of Israel following international laws and the rules of war immediately.

According to the report, Israeli forces have caused widespread death, injury, starvation, and disease. The UN human rights office (OHCHR) has been verifying the identities of those killed in Gaza due to Israeli strikes and other military actions.

The report also reveals that nearly 70% of those killed were women and children, which highlights Israel’s disregard for international humanitarian laws, such as ensuring that attacks distinguish between civilians and combatants and that the force used is proportional.

The ongoing attacks, which have killed civilians across Gaza, show a lack of concern for the suffering of the population, the report says.

Volker Turk stressed the need for accountability through independent legal processes and for all evidence related to these violations to be collected and preserved.

He also pointed out the urgency of addressing the situation, given the latest Israeli operations in northern Gaza and recent laws that impact UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees.

He reminded countries of their responsibility to prevent atrocity crimes and called for support for accountability mechanisms like the International Criminal Court (ICC).