Gaza City: The United Nations has issued a stark warning about the ongoing humanitarian disaster in Gaza, describing the situation as an ‘inconceivable toll of human suffering’.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk addressed the Security Council, expressing deep concern over the unfolding tragic events in the Middle East. He highlighted the ‘catastrophic’ humanitarian conditions in Gaza, calling attention to the dire situation as a result of the ongoing conflict.
Turk also condemned the devastation caused by Israeli airstrikes, which have targeted heavily populated civilian areas, including schools, hospitals, and shelters.
The death toll from Israel’s war on Gaza has now surpassed 41,272, with more than 95,551 wounded. In contrast, at least 1,139 people have been killed in Israel during the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, and over 200 individuals were taken captive.
Hezbollah has confirmed that Ibrahim Aqil, described as one of its top leaders, was among 14 people killed during an Israeli airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburbs.
Meanwhile, Israeli military operations continue across Gaza, with heavy clashes reported in Rafah between Israeli forces and Hamas fighters. The Israeli military has also destroyed two residential homes, resulting in the deaths of at least 13 people.
In the occupied West Bank, controversy escalates as residents accuse Israeli forces of mistreating the bodies of deceased Palestinians, with reports that soldiers used bulldozers to remove four bodies following a deadly raid in Qabatiya.
Amidst this, Gaza’s healthcare system is collapsing, with half of all essential medicines unavailable, making it nearly impossible to treat the wounded. As recovery efforts continue, international humanitarian workers report finding entire families killed in bombed-out homes, and hospitals are overwhelmed by casualties.
UN officials have called for an immediate cessation of hostilities, warning that the scale of destruction and loss of life could worsen without urgent international intervention.