UN report indicts Israel for war crimes in Gaza
The damning report released on Wednesday paint a grim picture of severe violations of international law in Gaza
Muslim Network TV Desk
GENEVA – An independent United Nations Commission of Inquiry (COI) has accused Israel of committing war crimes in Gaza after it began an assault on October 7, 2023.
The COI’s extensive report, based on interviews, satellite imagery, medical records, and verified open-source information, paint a grim picture of severe violations of international law in Gaza, highlighting acts of murder, torture, and the targeting of civilians.
The COI’s findings highlight that Israel’s actions amounted to war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The first in depth report accuses Israel of using starvation as a method of warfare, arbitrarily detaining civilians, and causing large-scale destruction of civilian infrastructure.
The report states: “Israel not only failed to provide essential supplies such as food, water, and medicine but actively prevented their delivery by others.”
These actions have had a catastrophic impact on the civilian population in Gaza, particularly on children and women.
The report emphasizes the dire humanitarian impact of the war, noting extensive casualties and infrastructure damage.
The COI states: “The immense numbers of civilian casualties in Gaza and widespread destruction were the inevitable result of a strategy undertaken with intent to cause maximum damage.”
The COI’s findings underscore the suffering of civilians, with the report describing the situation as a “watershed moment” that has compounded the suffering of Palestinians.
Israel has dismissed the COI’s findings, accused the commission of anti-Israel bias and obstructing its investigations.
Meirav Eilon Shahar, Israel’s ambassador to the UN in Geneva, stated: “The COI has once again proven that its actions are all in the service of a narrow-led political agenda against Israel.”
Israel has also been accused of obstructing the COI’s work by preventing investigators from accessing both Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories.
The COI’s reports, which will be presented to the UN Human Rights Council next week, call for accountability and adherence to international law to prevent further cycles of violence and suffering.
The COI urges both Israel and Hamas to take immediate steps to ensure the protection of civilians and adherence to international humanitarian law.
The findings of the COI add to a growing body of allegations against Israel by other international bodies.
Last month, the International Criminal Court announced it was seeking arrest warrants for several top Palestinian and Israeli leaders, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The report accuses Palestine resistance group Hamas fighters of “intentionally directing attacks against civilians” and committing “murder or willful killing”.
The commission said its findings were based on interviews with victims and witnesses, thousands of open-source items verified through forensic analysis.
The commission said it was unable to independently verify Israeli claims of sexual allegedly perpetuated by Palestinian fighters.
The COI’s comprehensive reports underscore the need for a renewed commitment to peace and the protection of human rights in the region.
The international community’s response to these findings will be crucial in determining the future trajectory of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the broader quest for justice and accountability in international law.
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