Against the dangers of a large-scale military operation in Rafah, where some 1.2 million Palestinian civilians have taken refuge, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, has warned, the Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, Stephane Dujarric, said. during the press briefing at the headquarters of the international organization in New York.

“I also want to point out that Volker Turk, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, warned today against a full-scale Israeli invasion of Rafah. Such an operation, he said, would lead to further violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law,” Mr. Dujarric said.

Stéphane Dujarric presented data on the humanitarian aid provided by the UN to displaced Palestinian civilians.

OHE and its partners said they provide nutritional support in nearly 300 locations, including more than 20 health facilities, nearly 240 formal and informal shelters, and more than three dozen locations in host communities.

UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) has expanded outpatient care for acutely malnourished children to 95 different locations in Gaza – including 36 in the north and 46 in Rafah. These external treatment programs are supported by more than a dozen UN humanitarian aid delivery partners.

“The Director General of the World Health Organization Dr. Tedros said humanitarian aid and missions in Gaza urgently need safe, sustainable and smooth transit into Gaza to serve people in critical need of life-saving care,” Stephane Dujarric said.

The UN notes that it continues to face major obstacles limiting the scale of humanitarian aid to Gaza, including active hostilities, impassable roads, unexploded ordnance, fuel shortages, delays at checkpoints and Israeli restrictions preventing them from delivering aid.

The representative of the Secretary General also referred to the report of the former Foreign Minister of France Catherine Colonna about the “neutrality” of UNRWA.

“For the Secretary General, this report was done in an extremely serious, methodical way. Member states will react as they want to react. We look forward to hearing from donors, those who have held back (including funding), and those who are considering giving because they haven’t given before. We hope that (the report) will answer many of their questions. The actions he is requesting are something that Mr. Lazzarini will promote with the support of the Secretary General,” said Mr. Dujarric during the press briefing.