SIX months after a ceasefire came into force in Gaza, conditions on the ground remain perilous for civilians, with continued Israeli attacks leaving Palestinians exposed to ongoing violence, according to the United Nations’ top human rights official.
Bernama - Anadolu reported today that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, said at least 738 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire began on 10 October 2025, including 32 deaths recorded since the start of this month, citing figures from the Palestinian Health Ministry.
“The relentless pattern of killings reflects a continued disregard for Palestinian lives, compounded by arbitrary impunity from legal accountability,” he said in a statement.
He highlighted a sustained pattern of attacks and shootings over the past 10 days that have affected civilians in homes, shelters and public spaces across the territory.
These incidents, he said, include strikes on tents housing displaced families, as well as attacks in streets, vehicles, medical facilities and classrooms, underscoring the breadth of risk faced by non-combatants.
Among those killed are women, children, persons with disabilities, humanitarian workers and a journalist.
Volker Türk cited a specific incident on 9 April in which a young girl was killed when Israeli forces opened fire on a crowded tent in Beit Lahiya, northern Gaza, where she had been attending a temporary class.
A day earlier, an Al Jazeera journalist was killed in Gaza City following a drone strike.
The Israeli military later alleged that the journalist was an agent of Hamas, a claim that Türk said has been repeated in other cases involving media workers without independently verifiable evidence.
According to the UN human rights office, 294 Palestinian journalists have been killed since 7 October 2023.
He also referred to an incident on 6 April in which Israeli forces fired on a vehicle carrying staff from the World Health Organization, killing the driver.
The toll among aid workers has also been severe, with 589 humanitarian personnel killed in Gaza since October 2023, including 397 affiliated with the United Nations.
“The number of journalists and humanitarian personnel killed in Gaza is unprecedented,” he said, warning that the scale of violence is making both reporting and humanitarian work increasingly dangerous.
Türk further raised concern over civilians being killed for approaching or being near shifting Israeli military boundary zones in Gaza, referred to as the “yellow line”, which he said is not clearly marked.
He stressed that targeting civilians not directly participating in hostilities constitutes a war crime, regardless of their proximity to military positions.
The situation, he added, is compounded by restrictions on humanitarian aid, widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure and persistent instability across the enclave.
“Palestinians have no plan for survival. Whatever they do or do not do, wherever they go or do not go, no safety or protection is afforded to them,” he said.
He called on the international community to take concrete steps to ensure accountability and to bring an end to violations of international law, stressing that civilians must be allowed to begin rebuilding their lives after prolonged conflict. - April 11, 2026
