Military

UN Human Rights Council calls emergency meeting on Gaza

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Geneva, Jan 7, IRNA – United Nations human Rights Council will hold an emergency meeting on Friday on Israeli bombardment of civilian targets in Gaza Strip, the Geneva-based body said on Wednesday.

International condemnation of the Israeli violations of the Geneva Convention, deliberately targeting civilians in Gaza Strip since December 27, gained momentum on Wednesday urging the UN human rights body to hold special session to review Israeli bombardment of Gaza Strip which killed and maimed several hundred children, women and ordinary people.

UNHRC said that 29 countries including the Islamic states and Russia have demanded the UN body to examine “Israeli aggression on Gaza Strip and the grave violations of human rights of Palestinians.

the U.N. Human Rights Council's 47 members have requested the special Friday session.

Diplomats say the 47-nation UN body will consider a resolution to condemn Israel for violating the Geneva Convention and the war laws.

UNHRC was established in 2006 after the United States was expelled from the United Nations Human Rights Commission for its unconditional support for Israel and regularly boycotting resolutions being issued against Israeli violations of the Geneva Conventions.

Hamas says Israel is an occupying power and the International Law does not allow it to lay blockade Gaza Strip which belongs to a nation whose territory has been occupied.

Hamas government says that its rocket attacks on Israel aim to force Israel to respect the International Law and lift economic blockade.

UN officials working in Gaza say that Israel has exceeded the boundaries of self-defense and perpetrated crimes against humanity in Gaza over the past twelve days.

Israeli blockade on Gaza has left 1.5 million population without food, fuel and electricity.

Gaza City’s al-Shifa Hospital has no medicine and room for surgery due to high number of those wounded in Israeli heavy bombardment, doctors say.

The New York-based Human Rights Watch said that Israeli leaders have committed collective punishment in Gaza.