Comment By UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk On The Announced First Phase Of Ceasefire In Gaza

9 October 2025

Following today's extremely significant announcement, I call on all States to work collectively to ensure that the ceasefire plan is implemented in good faith.

All action going forward must be guided by the immediate goals of ending the killing, starvation and destruction, and ensuring the safe and dignified return of hostages and arbitrarily detained Palestinians.

The protection and humanitarian needs in Gaza are massive. Access - for humanitarian aid, humanitarian and protection workers, international journalists and international human rights monitors - is crucial.

This momentum can and should, with continuing negotiations and a sustained focus on peace, lead to a permanent cessation of hostilities. The situation in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, must also be clearly kept in mind.

As part of the recovery, there must also be a comprehensive process of transitional justice, with accountability for the gross violations and abuses of international human rights law and serious violations of international humanitarian law we have witnessed.

I urge an end to the toxic rhetoric of war and hatred.

Fulfilling the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and ensuring Palestinians and Israelis can live in peace and security, must remain the ultimate goal of the process.

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