Israel may have violated laws of war in Gaza campaign, UN rights office says

19/6/2024 17:29

        Israeli forces may have repeatedly violated fundamental principles of the laws of war and failed to distinguish between civilians and fighters in their Gaza Strip military campaign, the United Nations human rights office said on Wednesday.
        
        In a report assessing six Israeli attacks that caused a high number of casualties and destruction of civilian infrastructure, the U.N. human rights office said Israeli forces "may have systematically violated the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precautions in attack."
        
        "The requirement to select means and methods of warfare that avoid or at the very least minimise to every extent civilian harm appears to have been consistently violated in Israel's bombing campaign," said U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk.
        
        Israel's permanent mission to the United Nations in Geneva characterised the analysis as "factually, legally, and methodologically flawed."