UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker called for an urgent ceasefire between Israel and Hamas during a visit to the Rafah crossing and El Arish Hospital in Egypt on Wednesday.
During a media briefing at UN headquarters in Egypt: he affirmed the need to enable the political space to implement a durable end to the occupation, based on the rights of both Palestinians and Israelis to self-determination and their legitimate security interests.
Türk said "In the last month, Gaza has also experienced complete communication blackouts at least three times, cutting Palestinians in Gaza from their families inside the strip as well as the outside world.
He added: "Blackouts have serious consequences on rescue workers struggling to find and rescue the victims of strikes, families trying to find out the status of their loved ones and to access emergency medical care, and for the situation on the ground to be monitored and documented."
On the situation of war reporters, the High Commissioner revealed that journalists trying to document and report on the situation in Gaza have been paying the price with their lives. At least 32 Palestinian journalists have been killed in Gaza in the last month.
"Today at El Arish Hospital in North Sinai, I met Ikram. Ikram was eight months pregnant when her abdomen was hit by shrapnel. She lost her baby and had to undergo a hysterectomy. She is alive but her eyes were lifeless. I also met Mohammad, 12, from Jabaliya, who suffered spinal injuries and bone fractures. Mohammad arrived in Rafah unaccompanied. He says he does not remember what happened, but the trauma on his face was clear," Türk recounted.
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