The new United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, Makarim Wibisono, formally requested today the Israeli government access to the Gaza Strip and West Bank to gather first-hand information on the impact of current hostilities on the human right situation.
The demand of the high official, who also asked for access to Israeli territory, is part of the recent escalation of hostilities in the Gaza Strip and heightened tensions in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
“As a newly appointed Special Rapporteur, it is my priority to see with my own eyes the situation on the ground, to listen and to speak face-to-face with victims and witnesses, and to discuss issues of concern with officials on both sides,” he said in a statement.
On 7 July, Israel launched an offensive against the Gaza Strip, where the UN reports the death of at least 1.450 Palestinian civilians, including over 500 children. It is estimated that around 17.200 housing units have been totally destroyed or rendered uninhabitable across the Gaza Strip, with life-sustaining infrastructure for entire neighborhoods in need of urgent repair.
According to Wibisono, the current situation in the Palestinian territories occupied by Tel Aviv confirms the urgency of an on-site assess of the human impact. (PL)