United Nations human rights chief Volker Türk on Thursday said war crimes had been committed by all parties in the conflict between Israel and Hamas, calling for them to be investigated and for those responsible to be held accountable.
Hamas gunmen killed 1,200 people and captured 253 hostages in an attack on Israel on October 7, according to Israeli tallies.
The attack sparked an Israeli offensive in Hamas-run Gaza, which it says is intended to rescue the remaining hostages and eradicate Hamas. Health authorities in Gaza say more than 30,000 people have been confirmed killed during the offensive.
Türk, who was presenting a report on the human rights situation in Gaza and in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, said his office had recorded "many incidents that may amount to war crimes by Israeli forces."
He added that there were also indications that Israeli forces have engaged in "indiscriminate or disproportionate targeting" in violation of international law.
Türk said Palestinian armed groups launching indiscriminate projectiles across southern Israel and the holding of hostages also violated international humanitarian law.
In a speech that drew applause from some attendees at the U.N. Human Rights Council session in Geneva, Palestinian Ambassador Ibrahim Khraishi said: "We condemned what happened on October 7, and we do so firmly, but nobody is really condemning the fact that women, children, and the elderly are being killed."
The attack sparked an Israeli offensive in Hamas-run Gaza, which it says is intended to rescue the remaining hostages and eradicate Hamas. Health authorities in Gaza say more than 30,000 people have been confirmed killed during the offensive.
Türk, who was presenting a report on the human rights situation in Gaza and in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, said his office had recorded "many incidents that may amount to war crimes by Israeli forces."
He added that there were also indications that Israeli forces have engaged in "indiscriminate or disproportionate targeting" in violation of international law.
Türk said Palestinian armed groups launching indiscriminate projectiles across southern Israel and the holding of hostages also violated international humanitarian law.
In a speech that drew applause from some attendees at the U.N. Human Rights Council session in Geneva, Palestinian Ambassador Ibrahim Khraishi said: "We condemned what happened on October 7, and we do so firmly, but nobody is really condemning the fact that women, children, and the elderly are being killed."
Source: Reuters
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