UN Human Rights Chief Says Israel and Hamas Have Committed War Crimes

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk. (Wikimedia Commons/EU2018BG Bulgarian Presidency)

JAKARTA - The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said that Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas have committed war crimes since the conflict erupted last month.

"The atrocities committed by Palestinian armed groups on October 7 were heinous, brutal and shocking, these are war crimes – as is the ongoing hostage-taking," said commissioner Volker Turk, reported by CNN November 9.

However, Turk said Israel's actions in Gaza also constituted war crimes.

"The collective punishment carried out by Israel against Palestinian civilians is also a war crime, as is the forced evacuation of civilians in violation of the law," explained Turk.

The UN Human Rights chief made the remarks on Wednesday after visiting the Rafah crossing, which he called a symbolic route to saving the 2.3 million people in Gaza.

"Aid channels are very unfair and very few," he said, calling for more humanitarian aid to be distributed to the enclave.

Turk also urged both sides to agree to a ceasefire based on three human rights interests: the delivery of aid to Gaza, the release of hostages by Hamas as well as implementing "an end to the ongoing occupation, based on the human rights of both the Palestinian and Israeli people, to self-determination and interests." their legitimate security.”

"Even in the context of 56 years of occupation, the current situation is the most dangerous in decades, faced by people in Gaza, Israel, the West Bank, and also regionally," he explained.

Responding to the allegations of war crimes, Israel said its military actions were subject to the relevant provisions of international law.

"IDF attacks on military targets are subject to the relevant provisions of international law, including taking appropriate precautions and after an assessment, the expected losses to civilians and civilian property are not excessive, when compared with the expected military benefits from such attacks."

It is known that around 1,400 people were killed and 240 others were taken hostage as a result of Hamas attacks on the southern region of Israel on October 7.

Citing Reuters and Xinhua, at least 10,569 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip since October 7, the Gaza-based Palestinian Ministry of Health said on Wednesday.

Ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qedra said the dead included 4,324 children, adding that more than 26,000 people were injured.

He also asked the international community to protect the Palestinian people from Israeli attacks, because most of the victims were children and women.