The United Nations-backed commission has determined that Israeli authorities have committed war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza since October 7. The report also states that Palestinian armed groups were responsible for war crimes in Israel.
The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, released its findings on Wednesday.
The report is based on interviews with victims and witnesses, forensic analysis, satellite imagery, and medical reports.
Israeli authorities were found responsible for various war crimes, including starvation as a method of warfare, murder, attacks against civilians, sexual violence, and more.
The report also highlighted that some statements by Israeli officials could be considered incitement and other serious international crimes.
Additionally, the report found that Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups were responsible for intentionally targeting civilians, murder, torture, and other crimes during the October 7 attack on Israel.
The chair of the commission, Navi Pillay, emphasized the importance of holding accountable all individuals who have committed crimes. In order to put an end to the continuous cycles of violence, strict adherence to international law is crucial.
The commission called on Israel to immediately halt its military operations in Gaza, including the assault on Rafah. Additionally, Palestinian armed groups were urged to cease rocket attacks and release all Israeli hostages.
The council acknowledged that the commission’s investigations had been obstructed by Israel. The Mission of Israel to the UN in Geneva, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), dismissed the report as biased and accused the UN-backed commission of systematic anti-Israeli discrimination.
The mission condemned any attempts to equate IDF soldiers with Hamas terrorists, describing it as a false equivalence. According to the health ministry in Gaza, the death toll from Israel’s eight-month offensive has exceeded 37,000 people.
