Volker Turk’s office could only say he had sought access to Israel and Gaza. His trip began in Egypt and he’s also due to visit Jordan.

Two weeks ago, Israel said it would stop issuing visas to key UN officials after UN chief Antonio Guterres said the Hamas attacks on 7 October did not occur “in a vacuum”.

Guterres – who condemned the Hamas attacks in the same speech – later said his “vacuum” remarks were misrepresented.

Speaking in Cairo about the war in Gaza, Turk said “human rights play a central role in finding a way out of this vortex of pain”.