UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said that Israel's military actions in the Gaza Strip can no longer be justified by the right to self-defense under international law, DPA reported. BTA reported.
In an interview with Austrian radio, he described the Israeli offensive as a "very, very dubious expulsion", referring to the severe impact on the population in the strip. "In recent months, we have witnessed actions that have nothing to do with respecting basic principles of humanity. "Words are no longer enough to describe what is happening," Turk stressed.
He called on countries that are allies of Israel to exert strong diplomatic pressure on it to change its behavior.
Meanwhile, the Israeli army announced that it was expanding its military operation against the Palestinian Islamist group "Hamas" and called on residents of most cities in southern Gaza to leave the area.
According to data from the "Hamas"-controlled authorities, more than 53,000 Palestinians have died since the beginning of the conflict.