GENEVA

As people in Gaza are literally being destroyed, no other term but "genocide" can be used to express this situation, said the UN special rapporteur on the right to health on Friday.

In an interview with Anadolu, Tlaleng Mofokeng provided a grim account of the conditions in Gaza, which has been under intense Israeli bombardment since Oct. 7, 2023.

Mofokeng emphasized the catastrophic humanitarian crisis, noting that Gaza's residents are deprived of essential services and basic needs. "We know that people are trying to survive, but that’s really all they can do," she said, adding there is no food, safe drinking water, and safe housing.

She highlighted that the mental health of Gazans has deteriorated severely due to the relentless bombings, leading to widespread trauma.

The rapporteur called for an immediate cease-fire, stressing that it is everyone's duty to ensure that hostilities cease to allow life in Gaza to return to normal.

She pointed out the increasing death toll and the horrific conditions for those still trapped under rubble or living with disabilities due to the ongoing war. "When you look literally how small Gaza strip is and the kind of destruction that’s happening, it’s really impossible to understand how this is still going on."

Dire healthcare scenario

Mofokeng cited reports from the World Health Organization (WHO) and other aid organizations, which depict a dire scenario for health services in Gaza. "When they (hospitals) cannot get supplies and essential medicines, and when healthcare workers themselves are being killed and harassed, it makes the attacks on the right to health even more prominent."

She also stressed that there is still no estimate for how long it will take to rebuild Gaza's health infrastructure, as thousands remain buried under rubble.

The question of who will finance Gaza's reconstruction remains deeply political, she noted, underscoring the need for a cease-fire and an end to the occupation as prerequisites for any meaningful planning and rebuilding efforts.

Mofokeng condemned the support Israel receives from European countries and the US, which she argued allows for "genocide."

"How many more children must die," she asked, noting people in Gaza are living a "daily nightmare."

She asserted that the situation in Gaza reflects an apartheid regime and occupation that meets the definition of "genocide."

Mofokeng called for a global discussion on recognizing the events in Gaza as "genocide" and for holding the perpetrators accountable in international courts. "I’m not in charge of prosecuting anybody," she said. “But when you have a group of people who have literally been exterminated, what else is there to declare it a genocide."

Mofokeng concluded by declaring that violence against healthcare workers and the denial of health rights are entirely unacceptable, urging immediate international action to address the crisis in Gaza.