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UN Report Urges Accountability and Justice for Violations in OPT and Israel

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Press release

Geneva – March 3, 2024

 

The UN Human Rights Office released a report today calling for accountability and justice for serious violations of the laws of armed conflict and gross human rights violations committed by all parties involved in the Israel-Palestine conflict. The report emphasizes the need to end impunity by covering the 12 months up to October 31, 2023. It underscores the imperative of justice to break the cycles of violence in the region.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, stated, “The entrenched impunity reported by our Office for decades cannot continue. There must be accountability on all sides for violations seen over 56 years of occupation and the 16 years of blockade of Gaza and up to today. Justice is a pre-requisite for ending

cycles of violence and for Palestinians and Israelis to be able to take meaningful steps towards peace.”

The report highlights a range of concerns, including unlawful killings, hostage-taking, destruction of civilian property, collective punishment, deprivation of essential services, strikes on civilian infrastructure, forced displacement, incitement to hatred and violence, sexual assault, and torture. These actions, prohibited by international human rights law and international humanitarian law (IHL), call for further investigations to establish the full extent of crimes under international law.

Türk called on all parties to immediately cease violations of international humanitarian law and violations and abuses of international human rights law. He emphasized the need for prompt, independent, impartial, thorough, effective, and transparent investigations into all alleged violations, with the responsible parties held to account in fair trials.

The report specifically mentioned severe violations committed by Al Qassam, the armed wing of Hamas, and other Palestinian armed groups on October 7 and 8, constituting war crimes. The military response by Israel, along with its choice of means and methods of warfare, resulted in significant suffering, including civilian deaths, extensive displacement, destruction of homes, and denial of necessities.

The severe restrictions on the supply of essential services and humanitarian aid imposed by Israel on Gaza were highlighted, with the report noting the potential war crimes of collective punishment and the use of starvation as a method of war.

Emblematic incidents, including strikes on Jabalia Refugee Camp and Al-Yarmouk in Gaza City, involving the use of explosive weapons with wide-area effects in densely populated areas, raised serious concerns about compliance with international humanitarian law. The report also condemned attacks damaging or destroying numerous hospitals across Gaza.

The report concluded by calling for accountability concerning Israeli practices in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, noting a significant increase in unlawful killings, mass arrests, ill-treatment, and disproportionate restrictions on movement since October 7.

For more information and media requests or inquiries, please get in touch with us (+41229403538 / media@cfjustice.org)

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