Mandatory east
Un: Governments have to wake up for Gaza and do something
Updated on June 16, 2025 – 10:54 a.m.Reading time: 2 min.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has sharply criticized Israel’s warfare against Hamas. He also has a message for all other countries in the world.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, wants to shake governments all over the world because of the desperate situation of people in the Gaza Strip.
“Anyone who bears government responsibility has to wake up and see what is happening in Gaza,” said Türk at the start of the session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. “Anyone who has influence must exert maximum pressure on Israel and Hamas in order to put an end to this unbearable suffering.” Only a two-state solution with the Gaza Strip as part of a Palestinian state could ensure sustainable peace.
Turkish criticized Israel again sharply because of the war against the terrorist organization Hamas in the Gaza Strip. “Israel’s means and methods of warfare add horrific, unimaginable suffering to the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip,” said Türk. He accused members of the government of “disturbing, dehumanizing rhetoric” and condemned that Israel has blocked the import of humanitarian aid by the United Nations since March.
He asked for an investigation into the death of food distribution to organize Israel and the United States through the controversial Gaza Humanitrian Foundation (GHF). In order to achieve the few GHF distribution centers, people have to walk through war areas for miles. Dozens have already died.
Like the United States, Israel has turned its back on the Human Rights Council. Both countries accuse the committee and the Türk office of being biased against Israel.
However, the council can deal with human rights issues all over the world regardless of the attitude of individual governments, also in Israel or the USA. It is an organ of the UN General Assembly that chooses 47 countries to the Council for three years. Only these countries can vote on resolutions, but all countries in the world can take part in the meetings, express themselves or become the subject of studies. Germany is still a member until the end of the year.
