“The atrocities we have witnessed since October 7 add unprecedented urgency to our conclusions and recommendations,” said Naval High Commissioner Pillay.
The Commission of Inquiry of the UN for the Occupied Palestinian Territories, chaired by Navy Pillay, said today that since October 7 it has begun collecting evidence on war crimes committed by Hamas, other Palestinian armed groups and Israeli security forces. “The atrocities we have witnessed since that day add unprecedented urgency to our conclusions and recommendations,” Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said in a statement. human rights between 2008 and 2014.
The South African lawyer added, in light of recent events, that “civilians and civilian facilities must always be protected, that they are never a legitimate target, and that all parties must fulfill their duty to protect them in accordance with with international humanitarian law.”
Pillay made these statements following the publication of a commission report on human rights violations in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, which does not address the most recent events (covering the period between May 2021 and August 2023), although according to the lawyer “shows that the only way to end violence is through respect for international law.”
“This requires addressing the root causes of the conflict, including the occupation of Palestinian territory, and allowing the people to exercise their right to self-determination,” the commission chairman added.
The report concludes that all parties to the conflict, including Israel, the Palestinian National Authority and the “de facto government in Gaza” have refused to preventive measures to prevent civilian casualties in two years of violence, exacerbating the crisis and increasing division and hatred. It adds that the launching of rockets and mortars by armed Palestinian groups into civilian-populated areas constitutes a war crime, although it also describes Israel’s “disproportionate” response to the attacks as such.
On the other hand, blocking the access of food and medical supplies to Gaza is a “violation of international humanitarian law,” the report adds.
Source: EITB
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
