In a letter obtained by Reuters, over 500 employees of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, led by Volker Turk, have urged him to officially label the Gaza conflict as a developing genocide.
The letter, issued on Wednesday, argues that the criteria for genocide have been fulfilled during the prolonged Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza, citing the extensive documented violations.
The staff committee emphasized OHCHR’s duty to condemn genocide and called for Turk to make a clear public stance on the matter, stating that failure to do so would undermine the credibility of the U.N. and the human rights system.
It pointed out a historical failure, referencing the lack of intervention during the 1994 Rwanda genocide, which resulted in over one million deaths.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond. Israel has previously denied allegations of genocide in Gaza, citing self-defense rights following a Hamas-led attack on Oct.7, 2023, resulting in 1,200 casualties and 251 hostages according to Israeli reports.
The ongoing conflict in Gaza has led to the death of nearly 63,000 individuals, as reported by the Gaza Health Ministry, while a global hunger monitor indicates widespread famine in the region.
Advocating for Human Rights
Established in 1993, the Geneva-based OHCHR’s core mandate is to uphold and safeguard human rights globally.
Around a quarter of OHCHR’s 2,000 staff members worldwide supported the call to Turk, an experienced Austrian lawyer within the U.N., to address the issue.
Amnesty International and other rights organizations have previously accused Israel of genocide, and some independent experts have echoed this sentiment, although the U.N. itself has not made such a declaration.
Past U.N. statements indicate that the determination of genocide falls under the jurisdiction of international courts.
South Africa initiated a genocide case against Israel’s actions in Gaza in 2023 at the International Court of Justice, but a full hearing on the case is pending, which could take several years.