ISTANBUL

Israel's attacks in Palestine have normalized atrocities worldwide, according to a UN expert on Thursday.

"What happens in Palestine does not stay in Palestine," UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women Reem Alsalem said during a UN Committee briefing on Palestinian rights.

"The killing of Palestinian women and girls in the thousands, and the infliction of horrors on them is really the most defining moment that declares that the world no longer cares," said Alsalem.

She said the situation has been so normalized "that no one now bats an eyelid about what is happening to women and girls in conflict and crisis elsewhere."

Alsalem acknowledged the scale of atrocities defies existing frameworks. "The current legal terminology, the concepts and the legal frameworks that we have are inadequate in front of the monstrosity and the scale and the horrors of what Palestinians have been going through," she said.

UN system failure

The UN's Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) Francesca Albanese said what is happening in Gaza reflects the UN's incapacity.

"The Palestinian sacrifice mirrors the incapacity of the international community to come together and deliver the promise of the UN Charter," said Albanese. "This institution is not in a good shape ... The United Nations is not able to preserve peace and stability."

Albanese criticized UN member states for failing to prevent genocide, noting Israel cannot claim self-defense "in the land that occupies."

She advocated for holding states and officials personally liable for transferring weapons to Israel. "How come that after two years of genocide, member states continue to have businesses with Israel?" she asked.

Palestinian UN Observer Riyad Mansour emphasized international responsibility following the "fragile" ceasefire. "It is our collective duty" to ensure humanitarian assistance and help Palestinian reconstruction, he said.

Trump's plan 'deeply inconsistent' with international law

UN Special Rapporteur on Counterterrorism and Human Rights Ben Saul said key elements of the 20-point plan by US President Donald Trump is "deeply inconsistent" with international law, including rulings from the International Court of Justice.

"Imposing a peace at any price, regardless of law and justice, is a recipe for further injustice, violence and instability," said Saul.

He criticized the plan for not guaranteeing Palestinian self-determination, statehood and self-governance, with Palestine's future "put at the mercy of decisions made by outsiders."

Saul said the temporary transitional government lacks Palestinian representation and excludes the Palestinian Authority, "lacking legitimacy and violating self-determination."

The rapporteur warned that oversight by the US-chaired "board of peace" outside UN authority is problematic, given Washington’s "deeply partisan" support for Israel. "This proposal is regrettably reminiscent of colonial practices and must be rejected," he said.

Saul noted the plan does not address accountability for Israeli international crimes and human rights violations, treats Gaza separately from the West Bank and provides no duty for Israel to compensate Palestinians for war damage.

Chris Sidoti, commissioner of the UN inquiry commission on Palestine, said his team found facts constituting genocidal acts by Israel in four of five categories under the UN Genocide Convention, along with war crimes and crimes against humanity.

"There can be no peace without accountability," said Sidoti, warning that lasting peace requires full Palestinian and Israeli involvement, rather than outsider imposition.

Israeli forces have killed 211 people since a ceasefire began earlier this month, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

In the past 24 hours. Israeli strikes across Gaza have killed at least 104 people, including 46 children and 20 women. The attacks have also injured 253, among them 78 children, according to Doctors Without Borders, citing the medical charity’s teams and the ministry.

Israel killed more than 68,000 victims in Gaza in more than two years of attacks that started on Oct. 7, 2023. A ceasefire, based on US President Donald Trump's 20-point plan, was reached Oct. 10. Israel, however, has violated the truce multiple times, the latest this week.