Volker Turk, the UN human rights chief, is urging participants in an upcoming conference on Palestinian statehood in New York to ramp up pressure on Israel to end the “carnage” in Gaza, Al Jazeera reports.

“Every day, we are watching the unspeakable tragedy in Gaza and the West Bank with horror and frustration,” Turk said in a video statement.

“I urge governments to use the opportunity of this conference for concrete action that puts all possible pressure on the Israeli government to end the carnage in Gaza permanently,” he said.

“Countries that fail to use their leverage may be complicit in international crimes,” he added.