UN Human Rights Office: Possible war crimes in hostage rescue
Published: Tuesday, Jun 11th 2024, 12:20
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The UN Human Rights Office has spoken of possible war crimes in connection with the Israeli hostage rescue in the Gaza Strip due to the high number of victims on the Palestinian side.
"We are deeply shocked by the impact of the Israeli forces' operation to free four hostages in Nuseirat on the civilian population," the office announced in Geneva on Tuesday. The experts doubted that the principles of international humanitarian law were observed.
"It was disastrous how this operation was carried out because civilians were in the middle of it," said bureau spokesman Jeremy Laurence.
Possible war crimes also on the Palestinian side
War crimes may also have been committed on the Palestinian side. This includes holding hostages in a densely populated area, which in a conflict puts both the hostages and Palestinian civilians' lives in danger. The definitive determination of war crimes could only be made by the courts, Laurence said.
One of the hostages had reported that she had been moved from apartment to apartment during the almost eight months she had been held hostage and was last accommodated with a family. This violated international humanitarian law, emphasized Laurence. Nevertheless, the principles had to be taken into account in a rescue operation.
According to the health authority controlled by the Islamist Hamas, more than 270 people were killed in the Nuseirat refugee camp on Saturday during the liberation of the four Israeli hostages who had been abducted from Israel during the terrorist attack on October 7, 2023.
The spokesman was unable to comment on reports that the Israeli soldiers had hidden in an aid truck during the liberation operation because the office had no information of its own.
The principles of international humanitarian law
It is about three principles that are prescribed in international humanitarian law in armed conflicts. The principle of distinction: Parties to a conflict must always distinguish between the civilian population and civilian objects on the one hand and the military and military facilities on the other.
The principle of necessity: possible collateral damage - civilian casualties or destruction of civilian facilities - must be in proportion to the military advantage. The principle of proportionality: damage must be kept as low as possible.
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