Civilian casualties in conflicts soared by 72 percent in 2023

UN Human Rights Chief Insists War Crimes May Be Committed in Gaza

June 18 () –

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, has warned that civilian casualties have become “a daily occurrence” in conflict situations, to the point that deaths skyrocketed by 72 percent in the year. 2023 –above 33,000–, in a year that ended up marked by the open conflict in the Gaza Strip and where, according to this official, war crimes would be being committed.

The “cruelty of war” has served as the central axis of the speech given this Tuesday by Turk before the UN Human Rights Council, from whose lectern he has pointed out that the conflicts have only “intensified” in the last year. “Children shot, hospitals bombed, heavy artillery dropped on entire communities,” he summarized.

The High Commissioner has been particularly “dismayed” by the fact that the warring parties have crossed “the limits of what is acceptable, and legal, on multiple fronts”, which has resulted in an increase in victims. In total, 33,443 civilians died in conflicts in 2023, according to sources from Turk’s office consulted by Europa Press and who assume that this is a lower figure than the real one, since it only includes those cases that have been verified.

Violence also affects especially vulnerable groups, since the proportion of women who died in 2023 doubled, while that of children was triple that of a year before.

Part of Turk’s concern stems from “the inconceivable death and suffering” accumulating in the Gaza Strip, where more than 120,000 people have already been killed or injured since the start of the Israeli military offensive, undertaken in retaliation by the attacks carried out by Hamas on October 7.

“Since Israel increased its operations in Rafah in early May, almost a million Palestinians have been forced to move once again and aid delivery and humanitarian access has worsened,” Turk warned, criticizing the ” reckless” Israeli bombings while demanding the release of the hostages held by Hamas.

The UN has “serious doubts” about compliance with International Law and, in fact, Turk has once again warned that war crimes would be committed. In the West Bank, where the situation “has deteriorated dramatically,” there have been cases of extrajudicial executions at the hands of Israeli forces or settlers.

For Turk, it is time to end the “occupation” and for those who have committed abuses to be held accountable, as well as to move forward so that the two-state solution “becomes a reality” in the Middle East.

On the other hand, the UN Human Rights chief has pointed out that “the situation in Ukraine continues to deteriorate”, as evidenced by the increase in the Russian offensive on the Ukrainian region of Kharkiv, where “it has destroyed entire communities.” . The residents of the area live without essential supplies or services, he has pointed out.

The Russian attacks have also wreaked havoc on Ukraine’s energy system, which has called out “68 percent of its electricity production capacity.” The system is already looking, according to Turk, at a “dangerous” turning point, especially in the face of next winter.

AGGRESSIVENESS AGAINST INSTITUTIONS

Turk has also used his speech to denounce hate speech and the “divisive and dehumanizing rhetoric” that encourages situations of discrimination. Aside from the strictly social aspect, he perceives an increase in “verbal attacks, threats and reprisals, and virulent campaigns on social networks” against international organizations and mechanisms.

Turk’s own office would be a victim of these attacks, but the High Commissioner has also cited the situation of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC), without directly alluding to their special role in recent months due to the investigations and cases opened following the outbreak of the conflict in Gaza.

“It is unacceptable. States created and gave mandate to these institutions precisely so that they could carry out crucial work,” so “they must facilitate their work and protect them from interference and attacks,” added the UN official.