UN rights chief begins 5-day Mideast visit over Israel-Palestine conflict

GENEVA

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk began a five-day visit Tuesday to the Middle East region amid intensifying attacks by Israeli forces against the Gaza Strip that began Oct. 7.

"Turk today begins a five-day visit to the Middle East region, amid Israel’s escalation in Gaza, in response to the attacks on it on 7 and 8 October, and the wider context of 56 years of occupation of the Palestinian territories," the human rights office said in a statement.

It noted that Turk is currently in Cairo and will visit Rafah, on the border with Gaza, on Wednesday, before heading to Jordan on Thursday.

He also requested access to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, which includes the West Bank and Gaza Strip, it said.

"It has been one full month of carnage, of incessant suffering, bloodshed, destruction, outrage and despair," said Turk. "Human rights violations are at the root of this escalation and human rights play a central role in finding a way out of this vortex of pain."

Turk is in the region to discuss human rights with government officials, civil society actors, victims and UN colleagues, according to the statement.

The Gaza Strip has been under heavy bombardment since the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, launched a surprise offensive against Israel on Oct. 7.

At least 10,328 Palestinians, including 4,237 children and 2,719 women, have been killed since then.

The Israeli death toll, meanwhile, nears 1,600, according to official figures.