The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, has issued a scathing condemnation of the ongoing Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip, declaring it “not a war, but a genocide.”

In a strongly worded statement published on her official account on X (formerly Twitter), Albanese asserted that Palestinian lives remain entirely unprotected in the face of Israel’s relentless military campaign. “The evidence of the killing of paramedics in Rafah has been hidden,” she noted, referring to reports of Israeli forces targeting medical teams—an act she described as emblematic of the impunity with which Israel is operating.

“The Israeli army faces no restrictions or controls on the killing of Palestinians,” Albanese added, highlighting what she says is a complete collapse of international accountability.

The UN official also criticized the role of Western governments in perpetuating the crisis, accusing them of prioritizing political allegiance over humanitarian responsibility. “Western leaders claim to be protecting civilians, while rolling out the red carpet for [Israeli Prime Minister] Benjamin Netanyahu,” she wrote. “To them, protecting Netanyahu is more important than protecting international law or Palestinian lives.”

Albanese went on to warn of a broader erosion of civil liberties and freedoms within Western societies themselves, as support for Israel increasingly translates into the silencing of dissent and criminalization of solidarity with Palestine. She called on global citizens to “rise up against a regime that crushes freedoms and harms civilians.”

Her comments follow a wave of international outrage over the mounting civilian death toll in Gaza, where tens of thousands have been killed and wounded since Israel launched its offensive in October 2023.

Human rights organizations and UN agencies have echoed Albanese’s concerns, with many demanding an immediate ceasefire and independent investigations into potential war crimes. (ILKHA)