The war which the government of Netanyahu is waging
on the people of Gaza in
retaliation for the murder and kidnapping of Israeli civilians and
soldiers must stop immediately. It must stop because the bombing of civilians constitutes in
itself a war crime under the law of armed conflict
(also known as international humanitarian law). So does the cutting off of food supplies, electricity,
water,
fuel,
telecommunication
means, etc. to a population that is being besieged and
cannot flee abroad, confined as it is within a
strip of some 365 square kilometres, all of this as a form of collective punishment
for crimes they did not commit themselves.
It is not possible to imagine the terror of the population of Gaza, which has been the subject of bombardments from the Israeli air force every day since Saturday 7th October. Not only have the people of Gaza seen maybe as much as a third of the buildings where they used to live flattened down by missile strikes from Israeli drones or by shells from Israeli artillery or by the tonnes and tonnes of bombs dropped by Israeli warplanes upon housing complexes, schools and shopping areas, but they have also experienced the horror of seeing the places where they had sought shelter or where they were being treated for the injuries sustained in earlier raids being bombed too. So not only ambulances and hospitals have been bombed by the Israeli air force, but so have the places of worship where a terrified population had hoped to find refuge namely several mosques as well as three churches (including the worlds third oldest).
There is no doubt that dropping bombs on civilian targets is a war crime, even if the Israeli top brass claim that the (alleged) presence of Hamas militants in such buildings had turned them into legitimate military targets. Worse, the frequency and therefore highly likely intentional nature of such deeds violating some of the most basic rules governing the conduct of war, as well as the lack of proportionality displayed by the Israeli military in retaliation for the attacks the Hamas fighters carried out on 7th October, all suggest that both the Israeli government and its military are being guilty of crimes against humanity.
This indiscriminate killing of civilians must stop immediately. Otherwise, not only will Gaza be facing a humanitarian catastrophe too dreadful to even imagine, but this stand-off between the armed factions of Hamas and the Israeli military (probably backed by US special forces and maybe also by US marines) is likely to attract other warring parties, so that the conflict will become regional or, worse, global.
This is the moment of truth. Everyone must assume their responsibilities. History will judge us all., UN Secretary-General, Doha, Qatar, 28 October 2023
[ ] [my emphasis]
I have just arrived here from Qatar and I will continue to insist on the immediate and unconditional release of all the hostages in Gaza.
And I repeat my utter condemnation of the appalling attacks perpetrated by Hamas. There is no justification, ever, for the killing, injuring and abduction of civilians.
The situation in Gaza is growing more desperate by the hours. I regret that instead of a critically needed humanitarian pause supported by the international community, Israel has intensified its military operations.
The number of civilians who have been killed and injured is totally unacceptable.
All parties must respect their obligations under International Humanitarian Law.
That Law emerged from the tragedy and awful experiences of war. I have always been consistent in my call for strict compliance of the well-established principles and rule of International Humanitarian Law.
The protection of civilians is paramount.
The Laws of War establish clear rules to protect human life and respect humanitarian concerns. Those laws cannot be contorted for the sake of expedience.
The world is witnessing a humanitarian catastrophe taking place before our eyes.
More than two million people, with nowhere safe to go, are being denied the essentials for life food, water, shelter and medical care while being subjected to relentless bombardment.
I urge all those with responsibility to step back from the brink.
And I reiterate my appeal for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages, and the delivery of a sustained humanitarian relief at a scale that meets the needs of the people of Gaza.
We must join forces to end this nightmare for the people of Gaza, Israel and all those affected around the world, including here in Nepal.
[ ]
UN Secretary-General, Kathmandu, Nepal, 29 October 2023
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/longform/2023/10/9/israel-hamas-war-in-maps-and-charts-live-tracker
https://english.wafa.ps/Pages/LastNews
https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/israel-palestine-conflict/
https://www.presstv.ir/Section/10202
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/10/29/713646/Iran-Palestine-Israel-Kan-ani-Foreign-Ministry-spokesman-genocide-children-prime-minister-Netanyahu
https://www.trtworld.com/europe/how-you-sleep-at-night-scottish-leader-speaks-out-on-gazas-struggle-15596919
https://www.trtworld.com/middle-east
https://www.rt.com/news/584220-israel-gaza-hamas-attack/
https://sputnikglobe.com/category_israel-hamas-conflict-/
https://sputnikglobe.com/20231029/nearly-impossible-retired-us-general-says-israel-unlikely-to-achieve-stated-aim-in-gaza-1114584818.html
It is not possible to imagine the terror of the population of Gaza, which has been the subject of bombardments from the Israeli air force every day since Saturday 7th October. Not only have the people of Gaza seen maybe as much as a third of the buildings where they used to live flattened down by missile strikes from Israeli drones or by shells from Israeli artillery or by the tonnes and tonnes of bombs dropped by Israeli warplanes upon housing complexes, schools and shopping areas, but they have also experienced the horror of seeing the places where they had sought shelter or where they were being treated for the injuries sustained in earlier raids being bombed too. So not only ambulances and hospitals have been bombed by the Israeli air force, but so have the places of worship where a terrified population had hoped to find refuge namely several mosques as well as three churches (including the worlds third oldest).
There is no doubt that dropping bombs on civilian targets is a war crime, even if the Israeli top brass claim that the (alleged) presence of Hamas militants in such buildings had turned them into legitimate military targets. Worse, the frequency and therefore highly likely intentional nature of such deeds violating some of the most basic rules governing the conduct of war, as well as the lack of proportionality displayed by the Israeli military in retaliation for the attacks the Hamas fighters carried out on 7th October, all suggest that both the Israeli government and its military are being guilty of crimes against humanity.
This indiscriminate killing of civilians must stop immediately. Otherwise, not only will Gaza be facing a humanitarian catastrophe too dreadful to even imagine, but this stand-off between the armed factions of Hamas and the Israeli military (probably backed by US special forces and maybe also by US marines) is likely to attract other warring parties, so that the conflict will become regional or, worse, global.
This is the moment of truth. Everyone must assume their responsibilities. History will judge us all., UN Secretary-General, Doha, Qatar, 28 October 2023
[ ] [my emphasis]
I have just arrived here from Qatar and I will continue to insist on the immediate and unconditional release of all the hostages in Gaza.
And I repeat my utter condemnation of the appalling attacks perpetrated by Hamas. There is no justification, ever, for the killing, injuring and abduction of civilians.
The situation in Gaza is growing more desperate by the hours. I regret that instead of a critically needed humanitarian pause supported by the international community, Israel has intensified its military operations.
The number of civilians who have been killed and injured is totally unacceptable.
All parties must respect their obligations under International Humanitarian Law.
That Law emerged from the tragedy and awful experiences of war. I have always been consistent in my call for strict compliance of the well-established principles and rule of International Humanitarian Law.
The protection of civilians is paramount.
The Laws of War establish clear rules to protect human life and respect humanitarian concerns. Those laws cannot be contorted for the sake of expedience.
The world is witnessing a humanitarian catastrophe taking place before our eyes.
More than two million people, with nowhere safe to go, are being denied the essentials for life food, water, shelter and medical care while being subjected to relentless bombardment.
I urge all those with responsibility to step back from the brink.
And I reiterate my appeal for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages, and the delivery of a sustained humanitarian relief at a scale that meets the needs of the people of Gaza.
We must join forces to end this nightmare for the people of Gaza, Israel and all those affected around the world, including here in Nepal.
[ ]
UN Secretary-General, Kathmandu, Nepal, 29 October 2023
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/longform/2023/10/9/israel-hamas-war-in-maps-and-charts-live-tracker
https://english.wafa.ps/Pages/LastNews
https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/israel-palestine-conflict/
https://www.presstv.ir/Section/10202
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/10/29/713646/Iran-Palestine-Israel-Kan-ani-Foreign-Ministry-spokesman-genocide-children-prime-minister-Netanyahu
https://www.trtworld.com/europe/how-you-sleep-at-night-scottish-leader-speaks-out-on-gazas-struggle-15596919
https://www.trtworld.com/middle-east
https://www.rt.com/news/584220-israel-gaza-hamas-attack/
https://sputnikglobe.com/category_israel-hamas-conflict-/
https://sputnikglobe.com/20231029/nearly-impossible-retired-us-general-says-israel-unlikely-to-achieve-stated-aim-in-gaza-1114584818.html
Lausanne, the above was
published on the twenty-ninth day of the
tenth month of the year two thousand and
twenty-three.
