UNDuring a news conference, Nakamitsu was asked about the impact of Israel’s military actions in Gaza on global disarmament progress. She responded: "I think the impact is not just on disarmament, but it is maybe on the entire international order, on the basis of international law." Nakamitsu stressed the urgency for UN member states to recommit to respecting international law and the principles outlined in the UN Charter.

Her remarks align with those of other top UN officials, including Secretary-General António Guterres and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, all of whom have raised concerns about the situation. "The message has been very clear," Nakamitsu said. "What we really need to do is to restore respect for international law."

When asked whether she found the situation alarming, Nakamitsu affirmed: "Absolutely, yes."

She also highlighted the UN’s ongoing studies on the use of large explosive weapons in densely populated urban areas, noting that such weapons often have devastating and indiscriminate effects on civilians. The UN disarmament team is actively collaborating with countries to ensure these weapons are not used in heavily populated urban environments.

In addition to the situation in Gaza, Nakamitsu warned of increasing global nuclear risks and heightened rhetoric surrounding the potential use of nuclear weapons. “We hope we will be able to reverse the current rather unfortunate and very dangerous trajectory,” she concluded.

The warnings from the UN’s disarmament chief come amid escalating Israeli aggression in the Middle East, with serious implications for international peace and security. (ILKHA)