UN Staff Urge Human Rights Chief to Declare Gaza War as Genocide

Hundreds of UN staff at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights have written to their chief, Volker Turk, asking him to explicitly describe the Gaza war as an unfolding genocide. The staff consider that the legal criteria for genocide have been met, citing the scale, scope, and nature of violations documented in Gaza. The letter, signed by the Staff Committee on behalf of more than 500 employees, warned that failing to denounce an unfolding genocide undermines the credibility of the UN and the human rights system itself.

Key Takeaways:

• The letter, signed by over 500 UN staff, urges Volker Turk to describe the Gaza war as an unfolding genocide, citing the scale, scope, and nature of documented violations.
• The staff consider that the legal criteria for genocide have been met, as stated in the letter signed by the Staff Committee.
• The UN's perceived moral failure to stop the 1994 Rwanda genocide that killed over 1 million people was also cited in the letter.
• U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed his full and unconditional support for Volker Turk's actions.
• Israel has previously rejected accusations of genocide in Gaza, citing its right to self-defence following the deadly October 7, 2023, Hamas attack.
• The subsequent war in Gaza has killed almost 63,000 people, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
• The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights was created in 1993 and is tasked with promoting and protecting human rights for all.
• Around a quarter of the agency's 2,000 global staff, or around 500, have backed the appeal to Turk.

Statistics:

• Over 1 million people were killed in the 1994 Rwanda genocide.
• The 2023 Hamas attack in Gaza killed 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages, according to Israeli figures.
• The subsequent war in Gaza has killed almost 63,000 people, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
• The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has around 2,000 global staff.
• Over 500 of these staff, or around a quarter, have backed the appeal to Turk.

Sources:

• Reuters: "Hundreds of UN staff urge human rights chief to declare Gaza war as genocide"
• The Geneva-based agency was created in 1993 and is cited in the article as having around 500 staff backing the appeal to Turk.
• The Gaza Health Ministry is cited in the article as stating that the war has killed almost 63,000 people.
• A global hunger monitor is cited in the article as stating that part of the population is suffering from hunger.
• The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights is cited in the article as having been created in 1993.