The United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights stated that both the radical Islamic group Hamas and Israel have committed war crimes since the start of the conflict on October 7.
The atrocities perpetrated by Palestinian armed groups on October 7 were heinous, brutal and shocking. These were war crimes, as was the continued holding of hostages. Israel’s collective punishment of Palestinian civilians also constitutes a war crime, as does the forced and illegal evacuation of civilians.
Volker Türk, UN Commissioner for Human Rights
Volker Türk made the statements this Wednesday (8), after visiting the Rafah crossing, on the border with Egypt, which he called a “symbolic lifeline” for the 2.3 million inhabitants of Gaza.
“The lifeline has been unfairly and outrageously thin,” he said, as he called for more humanitarian aid to be brought to the region.
Türk also urged both sides to agree to a ceasefire based on three human rights imperatives: the delivery of aid to Gaza, the release of hostages by Hamas, and the implementation of “a lasting end to the occupation, based on the rights of Palestinians and Israelis to self-determination and their legitimate security interests.”
“Even in the context of a 56-year occupation, the current situation is the most dangerous in decades, faced by people in Gaza, in Israel, in the West Bank, but also at the regional level,” he added.
The Israeli military commented on the accusations of war crimes against the country’s forces:
“IDF attacks on military targets are subject to the relevant provisions of international law, including the taking of feasible precautions and after an assessment that the expected incidental damage to civilians and civilian property is not excessive in relation to the expected military advantage of the attack” .
See also: Israel carries out collective punishment and this is a war crime, says expert
Source: CNN Brasil
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