Israeli attacks raise ‘serious concerns under the laws of war’: UN
The UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) has published a report on “six emblematic attacks” committed by Israeli forces in Gaza in 2023 that raises “serious concerns under the laws of war”.
“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,” High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said in a statement regarding the UN’s assessment.
Here are some of the findings from the OHCHR report:
- The UN verified 218 deaths from six Israeli attacks involving the suspected use of GBU-31 (2,0000 lbs; 925kg), GBU-32 (1,000 lbs; 460kg) and GBU-39 (250 lbs; 110kg) bombs from October 9 to December 2 on residential buildings, a school, refugee camps and a market.
- GBU-31, 32 and 39s are mostly used to penetrate through several floors of concrete and can completely collapse tall structures. Given how densely populated the areas targeted were, the use of an explosive weapon with such wide area effects is highly likely to amount to a prohibited indiscriminate attack.
- Series of Israeli strikes indicate that Israeli forces may have repeatedly violated fundamental principles of the laws of war.
- In five of the attacks, no warning was issued, raising concerns about violations of the principle of precaution in attack to protect civilians.
- In three of the strikes, Israeli forces said they targeted individuals connected to the attacks in Israel on October 7-8. But the mere presence of one commander, or several fighters does not turn an entire neighbourhood into a military objective, as this violates the principle of proportionality and the prohibition of indiscriminate attacks.
- Palestinian armed groups have continued to fire indiscriminate projectiles towards Israel, inconsistent with their obligations under international humanitarian law.
Israeli army ‘one of the most criminal in the world’
Chris Sidoti, a member of the UN’s Independent International Commission of Inquiry (COI) on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, says the Israeli army is “one of the most criminal armies in the world”.
The COI was presenting findings of its report into abuses committed on both sides since Israel’s war on Gaza began.
‘Brutal’ torture taking place in Israel detention facility: Lawyer
Palestinian lawyer Khaled Mahajneh recently visited detained Palestinian journalist Muhammad Arab in Sde Timan prison.
He says detainees there were subjected to “brutal methods of torture beyond imagination”. “No human being can live under those conditions,” he told Al Jazeera. “Israel is making sure to keep them tortured and beaten.”
According to Mahajneh, Arab shared “many details” of his incarceration at the facility, which began more than 100 days ago.
“For example, he’s being handcuffed and blindfolded 24/7 for over 100 days non-stop,” Mahanej revealed. “They are allowed to take a shower for one minute, and everyone who exceeds this will be subjected to torture in a very brutal manner… They are seated all the time. They are not allowed to stand up. They are not allowed to talk to the other prisoners,” he added.
“Are there any free people in the world who would accept such conditions?”
