The fear, the panic, the anxiety experienced by millions of people in the Middle East and beyond is palpable - and was entirely avoidable. The situation is worsening and widening by the hour, playing out our worst fears.
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk says he is deeply shocked by the impacts of the widespread hostilities on civilians and civilian infrastructure since the conflict erupted on Saturday with Israel and the United States of America's attacks on Iran, Iran's response against States across the region, as well as Hezbollah's subsequent entry into the conflict.
The laws of war are crystal clear. Civilians, and civilian objects are protected. All States, and armed groups, must abide by these laws.
The High Commissioner calls on all parties to exercise maximum restraint, prevent further escalation, and take all feasible measures to protect civilians, including foreign nationals, as well as critical infrastructure. Returning to the negotiating table is the one and only way to bring an end to the killing, destruction and despair.
So far, besides Iran and Israel, the hostilities have impacted 12 other States, destroying or damaging private homes, offices and businesses, airports, energy infrastructure, amongst other civilian infrastructure.
In Iran, the Iran Red Crescent Society puts the death toll at 787. In the single deadliest - and devastating - incident, dozens of girls were reportedly killed and injured when their primary school in Minab in the south of the country was struck during the school day. The High Commissioner calls for a prompt, impartial and thorough investigation into the circumstances of the attack. The onus is on the forces that carried out the attack to investigate it. We call on them to make public the findings and ensure accountability and redress for victims.
The Iranian military has responded to the U.S. and Israeli attacks, deploying hundreds of missiles and drones, among other weapons systems, against States across the region, killing civilians and causing damage to civilian infrastructure. In the central Israeli city of Beit Shemesh, nine people were killed when a missile struck a residential area.
We are also gravely concerned by the escalation of hostilities in Lebanon after Hezbollah fired barrages of projectiles into Israel, and the heavy counterstrikes of Israel, including in Beirut. We urge both parties to immediately end this major escalation in violence and to return to the agreed ceasefire.
Reports say there have been civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure, and significant re-displacement as a result of the Israeli strikes in the south of the country, and southern suburbs of Beirut. Information received indicates that nearly 30,000 residents had fled the affected areas overnight, on top of the already 64,000 already displaced.
International humanitarian law spells out that any attack must comply with the fundamental principles of distinction and proportionality, and for precautions to be taken to protect civilians. Attacks directed against civilians or civilian objects as well as indiscriminate attacks are serious violations of international humanitarian law, and may amount to war crimes.
Across Iran, we have grave concerns for the welfare of the population, given the Government's record of cracking down with lethal force on broad scale against those who oppose their rule and new threats of senior officials against any expression of dissent at this time.
The authorities are reminded of their obligation under international human rights law to safeguard Iranians' fundamental freedoms.
We also concerned that many Iranians are again unable to access the Internet, and hence have limited access to essential information, including that necessary to seek safety from the ongoing hostilities. We call for the immediate restoration of telecommunications services.
We are also concerned for the welfare of hundreds of political prisoners that continue to be arbitrarily held in Iran. Every effort must be taken to ensure their protection, and we urge their prompt release.
Human rights must not be instrumentalized or used as a bargaining chip by any State - we know from painful history what the results of the use of brute, external force can mean for human rights. Human rights need to be central to Iran's future.
The High Commissioner implores all parties to come to their senses, and to end this violence. He calls for States to uphold and defend the UN Charter, international human rights law and humanitarian law.
