Israeli authorities are answerable for “war crimes and crimes against humanity committed” through the army operations and assaults in Gaza since Oct. 7, a UN-backed fee on Wednesday stated in a brand new report.
The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry discovered that Israeli authorities are answerable for “the war crimes of starvation as a method of warfare, murder or wilful killing, intentionally directing attacks against civilians and civilian objects, forcible transfer, sexual violence, torture and inhuman or cruel treatment, arbitrary detention and outrages upon personal dignity.”
The fee discovered that “the crimes against humanity of extermination, gender persecution targeting Palestinian men and boys, murder, forcible transfer, and torture and inhuman and cruel treatment” had been additionally dedicated.
The in depth civilian casualties and widespread destruction of civilian objects and infrastructure in Gaza had been “the inevitable result of a strategy undertaken with intent to cause maximum damage, disregarding the principles of distinction, proportionality and adequate precautions.”
The intentional use of heavy weapons with massive harmful capability in densely populated areas constitutes “an intentional and direct attack on the civilian population,” it added.
Regarding the statements made by Israeli officers, the report stated their remarks “amounted to incitement and may constitute other serious international crimes,” including that direct and public incitement to genocide is a criminal offense underneath worldwide regulation at any time when perpetrated.
The fee additionally evaluated the evacuation orders issued by Israel, calling them “insufficient, unclear and conflicting, and did not provide adequate time for safe evacuations.”
“Furthermore, the evacuation routes and the areas designated as safe were consistently attacked by Israeli forces,” it stated and added: “All of this, the Commission determined, amounted to forcible transfer.”
Israel additionally imposed a “total siege,” which “amounts to collective punishment” towards the civilian inhabitants, based on the fee. “Israeli authorities have weaponized the siege and used the provision of life-sustaining necessities, including by severing water, food, electricity, fuel and humanitarian assistance, for strategic and political gains.”
It harassed that the siege has “disproportionately impacted” pregnant girls and individuals with disabilities, with “serious harm inflicted on children leading to preventable child deaths from starvation including newborns.”
Regarding the acts within the West Bank, the fee discovered that Israel dedicated “acts of sexual violence, torture and inhuman or cruel treatment and outrages upon personal dignity, all of which are war crimes.”
Moreover, the fee decided that the Israeli authorities, in addition to the Israeli army, “permitted, fostered and instigated” a sample of settler aggression directed towards Palestinian communities throughout the West Bank.
UN INQUIRY TO ISRAEL: CEASE ATTACKS, IMPLEMENT ICJ DECISIONS
In its suggestions, the fee urged Israel to take fast motion, together with implementing a cease-fire, ending the blockade of Gaza, making certain supply of humanitarian provides, and ceasing assaults on civilians and infrastructure.
It additionally referred to as on Tel Aviv to “comply fully” with its authorized obligations set forth within the International Court of Justice orders on provisional measures issued on Jan. 26, March 28 and May 24 and, particularly, enable the fee entry to Gaza to conduct investigations.
It additionally beneficial that each one state events to the Rome Statute cooperate absolutely with the International Criminal Court.
“Israel must immediately stop its military operations and attacks in Gaza, including the assault on Rafah, which has cost the lives of hundreds of civilians and again displaced hundreds of thousands of people to unsafe locations without basic services and humanitarian assistance,” Navi Pillay, chair of the fee, stated in a press launch.
UN INQUIRY TO HAMAS: CEASE ROCKET ATTACKS ON ISRAEL, UNCONDITIONALLY RELEASE HOSTAGES
In relation to Oct. 7 assault in Israel, the fee discovered that the army wing of Hamas and 6 different Palestinian armed teams, are answerable for “the war crimes of intentionally directing attacks against civilians, murder or wilful killing, torture, inhuman or cruel treatment, destroying or seizing the property of an adversary, outrages upon personal dignity, and taking hostages, including children.”
It underlined that the “indiscriminate firing of thousands of projectiles towards Israeli towns and cities resulting in death and injury of civilians are also violations of international humanitarian and human rights law.”
It urged the federal government of the State of Palestine and the de-facto authorities in Gaza to “immediately cease all rocket attacks on Israel, unconditionally release all hostages, and thoroughly and impartially investigate violations and prosecute those responsible for crimes, including those committed on and since 7 October by members of Palestinian non-State armed groups in Israel.”
“Hamas and Palestinian armed groups must immediately cease rocket attacks and release all hostages. The taking of hostages constitutes a war crime,” Pillay stated.
Stressing that it’s crucial that each one those that have dedicated crimes be held accountable, she stated: “The only way to stop the recurring cycles of violence, including aggression and retribution by both sides, is to ensure strict adherence to international law.”
The fee’s report will likely be introduced to the Human Rights Council’s 56th session on June 19 in Geneva. It is predicated on interviews with victims and witnesses carried out remotely and through a mission to Türkiye and Egypt, with 1000’s of open-source gadgets verified by means of superior forensic evaluation, lots of of submissions, satellite tv for pc imagery, and forensic medical experiences, based on the fee.
“Israel obstructed the commission’s investigations and prevented its access to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory,” it famous.
Source: www.anews.com.tr