U.N. Staff Urges Leader to Label Gaza Conflict as Genocide

Hundreds of employees at the U.N.'s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights are pressuring Volker Turk to classify the Gaza conflict as genocide. This demand was outlined in a letter seen by Reuters, which notes that the Israel-Hamas war meets genocide criteria due to documented violations' scale and scope.

The U.N. body faces criticism for its silence on the issue, with the letter referencing past failures, like the 1994 Rwanda genocide, in bolstering their argument. Meanwhile, Israel refutes the genocide claims, citing self-defense after deadly attacks from Hamas.

OHCHR spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani acknowledged the challenge in documenting and raising the alarm about the situation in Gaza, while Turk noted the shared moral indignation over the horrors witnessed and emphasized internal unity amidst adversity.