United Nations Report Says Israel and Palestinian Groups May Have Committed War Crimes
A United Nations panel found that Israeli as well as Palestinian militant groups may have committed war crimes during 2014 conflict in Gaza.
During the Israel–Gaza conflict, there were over 6,000 airstrikes made by Israel and approximately 50,000 tank and artillery shells fired. The attacks resulted in 1,462 Palestinian civilians killed, a third of which were reportedly children.
In the course of the bloody 51-day conflict, Palestinians sent 4,881 rockets and 1,753 mortars at Israel, killing 6 civilians and injuring at least 1,600.
As reported by the United Nation's Commissioner of Human Rights site, Justice Mary McGowan Davis, speaking at a press briefing on Monday said, “The extent of the devastation and human suffering in Gaza was unprecedented and will impact generations to come.”
The report, written by a two-member independent commission of inquiry, will likely serve as the guiding program for an inquiry into possible war crimes, which is already occurring under the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has already called the report “biased,” as he says that the Human Rights Council addresses Israel more than the combined nations of Iran, Syria, and North Korea.
As quoted by the New York Times, Netanyahu, speaking at a parliamentary meeting of his party on Monday afternoon, said: “Israel does not commit war crimes -- Israel defends itself against a terror organizations that calls for its destruction, and commits many war crimes.”
“We will not sit and did not sit with folded hands,” the Israeli leader stressed, adding, “We will continue to act with strength and determination against anyone who tries to harm us and our citizens, and we will do this according to international law.”
The commissioners of the report (Justice Mary McGowan Davis of the United States and Dr. Doudou Diene of Senegal) concluded their report by saying, “We were deeply moved by the immense suffering and resilience of the victims,” adding, “we just hope our report contributes in some small way to ending the cycle of violence.”
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