UN Commission: Israel and Palestinians commit war crimes
Published: Wednesday, Jun 12th 2024, 11:10
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Both Israel and armed Palestinian groups in the Gaza Strip have committed war crimes since October 7, 2023, according to a UN report.
This is the conclusion of the commission of independent experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council, which presented its report in Geneva on Wednesday. The UN Human Rights Office has also repeatedly spoken of war crimes on both sides.
The Chair of the UN Human Rights Council Commission, Navi Pillay, called for an end to attacks by Palestinian armed groups on Israel and the release of all hostages. The commission lists attacks on civilians, torture, inhumane and cruel treatment and hostage-taking as war crimes committed by the military arm of the Islamist Hamas and six other armed groups. "Taking hostages is a war crime," said Pillay.
It called on Israel to end its military action in the Gaza Strip. Israel's war crimes include starving the population as a means of warfare, deliberate attacks on civilians and civilian objects, sexual violence, torture and inhumane or cruel treatment.
Israel has responded to the terrorist attack from the coastal area on October 7, 2023 with a war against armed groups in the Gaza Strip. Around 1,200 people were killed in Israel during the attack. Terrorists also abducted more than 250 people as hostages in the Gaza Strip. Some were released, others freed. A further 120 hostages remain in the hands of Hamas, and it is feared that many are already dead. According to the Palestinian health authority, more than 37,000 people have been killed in the fighting in the Gaza Strip since October.
Commission criticizes Israel
"It is imperative that all those who have committed crimes are held accountable," Pillay continued. Israel had obstructed the work of the commission and had not refused access to the occupied territories, she said. According to the UN, this also includes the Gaza Strip, while Israel is of the opinion that the territory has not been occupied since the withdrawal of the Israeli military and settlers in 2005. The commission said it had evaluated thousands of verified reports, forensic analyses, satellite images and medical reports, as well as speaking to victims and witnesses in Turkey and Egypt.
Israel rejected the report. According to a statement from the Israeli embassy in Geneva, the commission took a one-sided view of the situation. It ignored the fact that Hamas misused people as shields and thus put civilians in the line of fire. "Israel rejects the despicable and immoral accusations against the IDF (Israel Defense Forces)," the statement continued.
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