UN Staff Urge Rights Chief to Label Israel’s Gaza War As Genocide

In a letter to Turk, staff members argued that the scale and nature of Israel’s nearly two-year onslaught against the besieged territory meet the legal definition of genocide.

“OHCHR has a strong legal and moral responsibility to denounce acts of genocide,” the letter said, warning that failure to do so would undermine the credibility of the UN and the human rights system itself.

The letter, signed by the Staff Committee on behalf of more than 500 employees, urged Turk to take a “clear and public position.”

It also referenced the UN’s failure to prevent the 1994 Rwanda genocide that left more than one million dead.

About a quarter of Turk’s 2,000 staff supported the appeal.

The demand came after Israeli regime forces killed at least 16 Palestinians across Gaza on Thursday, according to local health officials, bringing the total Palestinian death toll to 71 in the past 24 hours.

Rights groups including Amnesty International have already accused Israel of genocide, and independent UN expert Francesca Albanese has used the term, though the UN has not.

Turk has condemned Israeli actions and warned of the growing risk of atrocity crimes.

“I know we all share a feeling of moral indignation at the horrors we are witnessing, as well as frustration in the face of the international community’s inability to bring this situation to an end,” Turk said, while calling for his office to remain united.

Since October 7, 2023, at least 62,966 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed and 159,266 wounded in Israel’s brutal onslaught, according to Gaza’s health ministry.

In November 2024, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former war minister Yoav Gallant over war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel is also facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice over its military aggression against the blockaded enclave.