UN human rights chief Navi Pillay said Monday she was shocked that an aid flotilla bound for the Gaza Strip was "met with violence," after Israeli forces stormed convoy ships.
"Today I am also registering my shock at reports that humanitarian aid was met with violence early this morning, reportedly causing death and injury as the convoy approached the Gaza coast," she said during a speech to the UN Human Rights Council.
At least 10 pro-Palestinian activists were killed when Israeli naval forces stormed the aid flotilla in international waters before dawn on Monday.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights was giving an overview of human rights concerns around the world as the council opened its latest session in Geneva.
Pillay reiterated her broader concerns about the human rights situation in and around the Gaza Strip, including an Israeli blockade of the Palestinian territory that has been enforced since 2007.
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"In the Gaza Strip the blockade keeps undermining human rights on a daily basis," she said.
Despite a "marginal" increase in deliveries allowed into the territory, "the current situation falls far short of what is necessary for the population to lead normal and dignified lives," Pillay added.
The ships, carrying more than 700 passengers, were on the last leg of a high profile mission to deliver some 10,000 tonnes of supplies to Gaza as part of a protest against the blockade.
Israel had said the attempt to break the Gaza blockade was illegal and warned that it would intercept the ships and detain the activists before deporting them.
It labelled the convoy a media stunt, insisting the humanitarian situation is stable in Gaza despite reports to the contrary from aid agencies. pac
