OHCHR / OPT AND ISRAEL

The Human Rights Office called for accountability and justice for serious violations of the laws of armed conflict and other gross human rights violations committed by all parties in Gaza, the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Israel over the 12-month period up to 31 October last year. OHCHR

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:03:01
• Production Date: 23 February 2024
• Asset Language: English
• Personal Subject: RAVINA SHAMDASANI
• Corporate Name: OFFICE OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS - OHCHR
• Subject Topical: HUMAN RIGHTS; PEACE AND SECURITY
• Geographic Subject: GAZA; ISRAEL; PALESTINE
• MAMS Id: 3176763
• Parent Id: 3176763
• Alternate Title: unifeed240223f

Description

STORY: OHCHR / OPT AND ISRAEL
TRT: 03:02
SOURCE: OHCHR
RESTRICTIONS: PLEASE CREDIT OHCHR ON SCREEN
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 23 FEBRUARY 2024, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND / FILE

Shotlist

FILE – GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

1. Wide shot, exterior, Palais Wilson

23 FEBRUARY 2024, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeremy Laurence, Spokesperson, UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR):
“The Human Rights Office calls for accountability and justice for serious violations of the laws of armed conflict and other gross human rights violations committed by all parties in Gaza, the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Israel over the 12-month period up to 31 October last year.”

FILE – GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

3. Wide shot, exterior, Palais Wilson

23 FEBRUARY 2024, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeremy Laurence, Spokesperson, UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR):
“A report issued today by our Office raises a broad range of concerns of unlawful killings, hostage-taking, the wanton destruction of civilian property, collective punishment and deprivation of essential services, strikes on essential civilian infrastructure, forced displacement, incitement to hatred and violence, sexual assault, and torture. Those responsible for violations must be held to account in fair trials.”

FILE – GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

5. Close up, exterior, OHCHR sign

23 FEBRUARY 2024, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeremy Laurence, Spokesperson, UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR):
“All parties must cooperate with international mechanisms for accountability, including the International Criminal Court, as well as the International Court of Justice. The report says Al Qassam, the armed wing of Hamas, and other Palestinian armed groups committed serious violations of international law on a wide scale on 7 and 8 October. The ensuing military response by Israel -- and its choice of means and methods of warfare – then led to massive suffering of Palestinians.”

FILE – GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

7. Wide shot, exterior, Palais Wilson

23 FEBRUARY 2024, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeremy Laurence, Spokesperson, UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR):
“The report identifies three incidents, amongst numerous others, which raise very serious concerns about compliance with the laws of armed conflict. Two strikes on Jabalia Refugee Camp and one on Al-Yarmouk, Gaza City, involved the use of explosive weapons with wide-area effects in densely populated areas. The strikes resulted in enormous destruction, and the UN Human Rights Office verified a combined 153 deaths in the attacks, but the number could be as high as 243. No warning was given, nor any effort made to evacuate residential buildings prior to these strikes. The entrenched impunity reported by our Office for decades cannot be permitted to continue. Justice is a pre-requisite of ending cycles of violence for Palestinians and Israelis to be able to take meaningful steps towards peace.”

FILE – GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

9. Wide shot, exterior, Palais Wilson

Storyline

The Human Rights Office (OHCHR) called for accountability and justice for serious violations of the laws of armed conflict and other gross human rights violations committed by all parties in Gaza, the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Israel over the 12-month period up to 31 October last year.

An OHCHR report issued today (23 Feb) raised a broad range of concerns of unlawful killings, hostage-taking, the wanton destruction of civilian property, collective punishment and deprivation of essential services, strikes on essential civilian infrastructure, forced displacement, incitement to hatred and violence, sexual assault, and torture.

In a recorded message, Jeremy Laurence, OHCHR spokesperson, said that those responsible for violations must be held to account in fair trials and all parties must cooperate with international mechanisms for accountability, including the International Criminal Court, as well as the International Court of Justice.

The report said that Al Qassam, the armed wing of Hamas, and other Palestinian armed groups committed serious violations of international law on a wide scale on 7 and 8 October.

Laurence said, “The ensuing military response by Israel - and its choice of means and methods of warfare – then led to massive suffering of Palestinians.”

The report identified three incidents, amongst numerous others, which raise very serious concerns about compliance with the laws of armed conflict.

Two strikes on Jabalia Refugee Camp and one on Al-Yarmouk, Gaza City, involved the use of explosive weapons with wide-area effects in densely populated areas.

The strikes resulted in enormous destruction, and the UN Human Rights Office verified a combined 153 deaths in the attacks, but the number could be as high as 243.

Laurence noted, “No warning was given, nor any effort made to evacuate residential buildings prior to these strikes.”

He concluded,“The entrenched impunity reported by our Office for decades cannot be permitted to continue. Justice is a pre-requisite of ending cycles of violence for Palestinians and Israelis to be able to take meaningful steps towards peace.”