UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has called on the international community to condemn Israel’s strike on Hamas negotiators in Qatar during an urgent Human Rights Council debate in Geneva, describing the attack as a flagrant violation of Qatari sovereignty and international law.
The strike targeted Hamas delegation members who were in Doha to negotiate a ceasefire, according to Türk’s remarks to the 60th session of the Human Rights Council.
“The attack violated the right to life under international human rights law and the principles of international humanitarian law,” Türk said during the urgent debate session.
The UN human rights chief argued that the strike undermined Qatar’s role as a mediator in regional conflicts. “Targeting parties engaged in internationally supported mediation on its territory undermines Qatar’s key role as a facilitator and peace broker. It is an attack on global efforts to resolve conflicts peacefully,” he stated.
Türk emphasised that under the rules of war, civilian targets cannot be attacked, noting that “the Hamas delegation was in Qatar to negotiate for a ceasefire – a vital step towards peace” needed across Gaza, the occupied West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and the broader region.
Concurrent Actions Undermine Peace Prospects
The High Commissioner highlighted that the strike occurred alongside other Israeli actions that he said are destroying prospects for a two-state solution. On the same day, Israel issued displacement orders affecting approximately one million people in Gaza City without adequate safety provisions, which Türk called “another blatant contravention of international humanitarian law.”
Additionally, the Israeli government formally approved the E1 project near East Jerusalem, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described as fulfilling a government promise to prevent the creation of a Palestinian state.
“This is the latest in a long list of illegal facts on the ground that are bringing the two-state solution closer and closer to a point of no return,” Türk warned.
Call for International Action
Nearly two years after the October 7, 2023, attacks and subsequent escalation, Türk urged immediate international intervention to stop what he called “egregious violations of international law.”
“Member States cannot wait any longer. They have an obligation to take concrete action to stop egregious violations of international law, including those spelt out by the International Court of Justice,” he said.
The UN official specifically called for stopping arms flows to Israel that “risk violating the laws of war” and applying “maximum pressure for a ceasefire, the release of all hostages and those arbitrarily detained, as well as the entry of sufficient humanitarian aid into Gaza.”
Türk noted the heavy toll on UN operations, stating that hundreds of UN colleagues have been killed while delivering aid and documenting violations in the region.
“Our hearts break for the civilians of Gaza; for the Israeli hostages and their loved ones; for those arbitrarily held in Israeli prisons and their families,” he said. “War without laws means a future of endless cruelty and suffering for civilians, both Palestinian and Israeli.”
The High Commissioner concluded by calling on member states to support Palestinian self-determination rights.
