The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights says Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups may have committed war crimes during the deadly weekend raid in which the Israeli army freed four hostages last.
High Commission spokesperson Jeremy Laurence expressed concerns about possible violations of the rules of proportionality, distinction and precaution by Israeli forces during Saturday’s raid on the Nuseirat refugee camp.
Palestinian health officials say at least 274 Palestinians, including dozens of women and children, were killed in the operation.
Mr. Laurence argued that Palestinian armed groups holding hostages in densely populated areas expose the lives of nearby civilians and hostages to “additional risks” from hostilities.
“All these actions by both parties could constitute war crimes,” he said during a press briefing in Geneva.
“It was catastrophic, the way it was carried out, in that civilians – again – were caught in the middle of it all,” Mr Laurence added.
Referring to the “ordeal” faced by the hostages and their families, he said: “The fact that four hostages are now free is clearly very good news. These hostages should never have been taken in the first place. This is a violation of international humanitarian law. They must be released. All. Quickly.”
The Israeli diplomatic mission in Geneva took the opportunity to criticize the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, for one of his recent statements.
“It appears that the high commissioner has finally realized that Hamas is using Palestinians as human shields,” read a statement. Yet instead of taking a clear and consistent position against this heinous strategy, he makes a habit of slandering Israel. This time, for saving our hostages.”
Israel launched its war against Hamas after the Oct. 7 attack, in which fighters swept into southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and kidnapping about 250 others.
More than 36,730 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip since the start of the Israeli response, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians in its report.
Palestinians also face widespread famine, because the war has largely interrupted the supply of food, medicine and other supplies.
UN agencies say more than a million people in the Gaza Strip could experience the highest level of famine by mid-July.
