UN human rights chief says 'time to use' Gaza pause to establish lasting solution

GENEVA

It is time to use the Gaza pause to establish "a permanent end to the violence," the UN human rights chief said on Monday.

"Important respite from the hellfire of the past 7 weeks for civilians in Gaza, some families reunited with loved ones," Volker Turk said in an X post shared by the UN human rights office.

"Time to use this pause to pave the way for a permanent end to the violence, a path out of misery, towards a sustainable and enduring peace," Turk said.

A four-day humanitarian pause mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the US went into effect on Friday, temporarily halting Israel's attacks on the Gaza Strip.

Despite widespread calls to continue the pause or make it permanent, Israel has vowed to resume its attacks once the pause concludes. It has only left open the possibility of extending the pause if hostage swaps continue.

Israel launched a massive military campaign in the Gaza Strip following an Oct. 7 cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas.

It has since killed at least 14,854 Palestinians, including 6,150 children and more than 4,000 women, according to health authorities in the enclave. The official Israeli death toll stands at 1,200.