����ֱ��

STRASBOURG, France: The Council of Europe urged its member states on Tuesday to halt deliveries of weapons to Israel if they could be used for human rights violations.
Michael O’Flaherty, the Council’s commissioner for human rights, said member states should do “their utmost to prevent and address violations of international human rights” in the conflict.
“This includes applying existing legal standards to ensure that arms transfers are not authorized where there is a risk that they may be used to commit human rights violations,” he said, in a statement.
It was also “essential to intensify efforts to provide relief to those affected by the conflict, by supporting efforts to ensure unhindered access for humanitarian assistance and by pressing for the immediate release of hostages,” O’Flaherty said.
The call by the Council – a human rights organization representing 46 states – comes shortly after Germany said it would halt delivery to Israel of some weapons that could be used in Gaza as part of Israeli plans to take control of Gaza City.
O’Flaherty said the Council had taken note of this and other government initiatives, and also of contributions by some national human rights structures in raising awareness.
“However, more needs to be done, and quickly,” he said.
Several world leaders have condemned Israel’s decision to widen the Gaza war.
But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that the plan to target the remaining Hamas strongholds in Gaza was “the best way to end the war.”

GENEVA: The UN health agency on Tuesday said Israel should let it stock medical supplies to deal with a “catastrophic” health situation in Gaza before it seizes control of Gaza City.
Israel has said its military would “take control” of Gaza City in a plan approved by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet that sparked a wave of global criticism.
“We want to stock up, and we all hear about ‘more humanitarian supplies are allowed in’ — well it’s not happening yet, or it’s happening at a way too low a pace,” said Rik Peeperkorn, the World Health Organization’s representative in the Palestinian territories.
Fifty-two percent of medicines were running at zero stock, Peeperkorn said, speaking from Jerusalem.
UN agencies warned last month that famine was unfolding in Gaza, with Israel severely restricting aid entry.
Peeperkorn said the WHO was able to bring in fewer supplies than it wanted “due to the cumbersome procedures” and products “still denied” entry — a topic of constant negotiation with the Israeli authorities.
“We want to as quickly stock up hospitals... following the news — the whole discussion about an incursion in Gaza,” he said.
“We currently cannot do that... We need to be able to get all essential medicines and medical supplies in.”
Peeperkorn said only 50 percent of hospitals and 38 percent of primary health care centers were functioning, and that too partially.
Bed occupancy has reached 240 percent capacity in the Al-Shifa hospital and 300 percent Al-Ahli Hospital in northern Gaza.
“The overall health situation remains catastrophic,” he said. “Hunger and malnutrition continue to ravage Gaza.”
Peeperkorn said 148 people died from the effects of malnutrition this year, citing August 5 as the cut-off date.
Nearly 12,000 children aged under five were identified to be suffering from acute malnutrition in July — the highest monthly figure recorded to date in Gaza, Peeperkorn said.
These include 2,562 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition, of whom 40 were hospitalized at stabilization centers.