UN to look into ‘war crimes’ committed by Israel and Hamas

According to the international organisation, there is already “clear evidence” of infractions on both sides.

An investigation into possible war crimes that may have occurred during the most recent escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been announced by the UN. The international organisation urged both parties to abide by international human rights legislation on Tuesday, saying that it had “clear evidence” of significant abuses by both sides.

In a statement, the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry announced that it “has been gathering and preserving evidence of war crimes committed by all sides since 7 October 2023.” The commission is charged with looking into international law violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

In May 2021, the UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution creating the commission. It denounced the Hamas assault on Israel that began on Saturday, saying that the selective slaughter of innocent civilians and hostage-taking amounted to “war crimes” and “cannot be tolerated.”

The Israeli reaction, which included an airstrike on Gaza and a “complete siege” of the outpost, was likewise met with “grave concern,” according to the report.

The commission promised to ensure “legal accountability” for all those in charge of transgressions of international law. In addition, it promised to identify everyone connected to war crimes on either side, especially those in leadership positions, and to share the pertinent data with legal bodies like the International Criminal Court.

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The UN organisation urged all parties to stop using force and demanded “the unconditional and safe release of all individuals who have been taken hostage by Palestinian armed groups.” Additionally, it stressed that the only way to put an end to the war was to deal with its “root causes,” which included the unjust occupation of Palestinian territory and the denial of the Palestinians’ right to self-determination.

Hamas, a militant organisation, launched a significant assault on Israel on Saturday, firing thousands of missiles and briefly taking control of Israeli towns near the Gaza border. At least 900 Israelis have died in the attack and combat that followed, including 123 soldiers from the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), according to the Israeli authorities.

In response to the assault, Israel launched a protracted bombing campaign against Gaza. According to the exclave’s Ministry of Health, as of Monday, Israeli airstrikes had resulted in at least 510 Palestinian deaths and 2,751 injuries.