Geneva [Switzerland], January 18: More than 25 independent UN human rights experts have called on all parties to accept the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, ensure justice, facilitate humanitarian aid, and guarantee the Palestinian people's right to self-determination.
They expressed hope that a sustainable truce would put an end to the suffering and loss of life in Gaza, the occupied Palestinian territories, and Israel.
In a statement issued today in Geneva, the experts, including Francesca Albanese, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories since 1967, voiced their dismay over Israel's continued indiscriminate bombing of Gaza following a brief pause after the announcement of the agreement. The bombardment resulted in the killing of Palestinian civilians despite expectations of calm until the ceasefire came into effect.
The experts stressed that it is time for all individuals and detainees held unlawfully to return home-whether they are Israeli prisoners in Gaza or the thousands of Palestinians arbitrarily detained and often tortured in Israeli prisons. Nearly two million displaced people within Gaza must be allowed to return to their homes and supported in rebuilding their lives without fear of further displacement or persecution, they stressed.
The experts warned of the immense challenges ahead, noting that over 70% of Gaza's civilian infrastructure has been destroyed by ongoing bombardment. They emphasised that the immediate priority in Gaza is to ensure unrestricted humanitarian relief, early recovery, and compensation for those affected, proportional to the damage inflicted by Israel.
Source: Emirates News Agency
