Anjali Sharma
GG News Bureau
UNITED NATIONS, 5th March. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Monday warned that the war in Gaza risked morphing into a much “wider conflagration” enveloping every country in the Middle East and beyond as the negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza continued in Egypt for a second day.
“I am deeply concerned that in this powder keg, any spark could lead to a much broader conflagration,” Volker Türk stated.
He insisted that the international community should do “everything possible” to avoid a further spillover of conflict in Gaza.
His comments came after calls for an “immediate ceasefire for at least the next six weeks” to facilitate the release of Israeli hostages from United States’ Vice President Kamala Harris, while international negotiations for a ceasefire continued in Egypt on Sunday, involved the US, Qatari and Hamas envoys but not so far, Israeli representatives.
Mr. Türk said the risks to regional stability were apparent in southern Lebanon, emphasized that militia fighters sympathetic to the Palestinian cause were now engaged in an “extremely worrying” uptick of hostilities and exchanges of fire with Israel, with the UN-monitored Blue Line that separates both countries.
Over 200 people have been killed in Lebanon since war erupted in Gaza¸ with children, paramedics and journalists among the victims he added.
Some 90,000 people in Lebanon had been displaced by the violence, Mr. Türk said after “extensive damage to health facilities, schools, and vital infrastructure”.
Israeli communities had seen 80,000 people uprooted from border areas because of the violent escalation, he noted.
Gaza health authorities announced that 15 children have now died from malnutrition and dehydration at Kamal Adwan hospital in Gaza City.
UNICEF warned that many more youngsters will likely die in the coming days, unless aid is ramped up without delay.
Adele Khodr, UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa said “The child deaths we feared are here and are likely to rapidly increase unless the war ends and obstacles to humanitarian relief are immediately resolved.”
UN women reported that 9,000 women killed in Gaza
Gaza’s health authorities have reported that more than 30,400 people have been killed in Gaza mostly women and children amid intense Israeli bombardment and a ground operation against Hamas fighters.
UN Women estimated before the weekend that 9,000 women have been killed by Israeli forces since the war erupted nearly five months ago.
The figure is likely to be higher as many more are reported dead under the rubble, it added.
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