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“The majority of people care about human rights [and] reject cruelty,” he said, noting that many advocates feel isolated and disconnected from each other.
Answering questions from journalists, he discussed crises around the world and called for greater respect for international law, especially with regard to the rights of civilians trapped in conflict zones.
Hamas and Israel both condemned the action
Türk reiterated his deep concern over the situation in Gaza, where Palestinians are now confined to around 30 percent of the territory, face shortages of food and essential services, and continue to be killed by Israeli forces.
He urged Israel’s next government, after Tuesday’s elections, to “change the course of the war” and respect international humanitarian law.
He also rejected accusations that the UN only condemns Israel, and stressed that the UN has repeatedly condemned the October 7 attack and is closely monitoring violations committed by Hamas and the Palestinian Authority. He expressed particular concern over reports of extrajudicial executions by Hamas militants.
When asked about what influence the UN could have in the crucial relationship with a future Israeli government that controls aid flows, Türk said that monitoring activities in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon and Syria is “very important” because they keep decision-making factual and ensure the world is properly informed.
More empathy for Ukrainians
Türk also expressed deep concern over increasing attacks on Ukrainian civilians, and warned that the death toll could reach its highest level since 2022 amid increased drone warfare.
Attacks on the power grid – particularly impacting senior citizens and people with disabilities – have been exacerbated by attacks on railway infrastructure and supermarkets.
“I often feel there is no empathy for the plight of civilians in Ukraine,” he said, urging greater attention to human rights in ceasefire and peace negotiations.
Houthis guilty of war crimes?
When asked whether Houthi attacks on Saudi airports and other civilian infrastructure constituted war crimes, Türk said that targeting civilian sites “increases[s] the question of war crimes” because it was clearly not a military objective.
He also called for the immediate and unconditional release of 71 UN workers detained by the Houthis, and expressed concern over reports of “very, very appalling” conditions in detention centers under their control.
