Gaza’s death toll of 40,000 is ‘grim milestone’: UN rights chief
The UN’s high commissioner for human rights has issued a statement on Gaza’s mounting death toll, which exceeded 40,000 today, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.
“Today marks a grim milestone for the world,” said Volker Turk. “This unimaginable situation is overwhelmingly due to recurring failures by the [Israeli military] to comply with the rules of war.”
“As the world reflects on and considers its inability to prevent this carnage, I urge all parties to agree to an immediate ceasefire, lay down their arms and stop the killing once and for all,” he added.
Palestinian foreign ministry calls for ‘urgent’ action to counter Israeli land grabs
The Palestinian foreign ministry says the Israeli authorities’ expanding illegal land seizures to build new settlements and expand established ones in the occupied West Bank requires “urgent” international action.
It warned in a statement that Israel is trying to separate and isolate Palestinian lands from each other, especially Jerusalem from other areas, to proceed with its plan to “ethnically cleanse” the Palestinians.
The ministry urged international organisations to turn statements of rejection and condemnation into action and put pressure on Israel to move toward implementing the two-state solution.
