GENEVA, Monday, March 4, 2024 (WAFA) – United Nations human rights chief Volker Turk said today the war in the Gaza Strip is a “powder keg” that could ignite a wider conflict with serious repercussions for the Middle East and beyond.

In an address to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Monday, Turk said he was deeply concerned that the war – now in its 150th day – had already generated dangerous spillover in neighboring countries.

“Any spark could lead to a much broader conflagration,” Turk warned. “This would have implications for every country in the Middle East, and many beyond it.”

He added, "Incidents in which civilians were killed, especially children, paramedics and journalists, must be the subject of in-depth investigation."

"It is important to do everything possible to avoid a wider fire," Turk added.

More than 30,000 people have been killed in the ongoing bloodbath in the Gaza Strip since October 7.

Y.S