GENEVA: A United Nations commission of inquiry has accused Israel of intentionally targeting healthcare facilities and personnel in Gaza, asserting that the actions amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.
In a damning report released on Thursday, the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry stated that Israel is engaging in a “concerted policy” aimed at destroying Gaza’s healthcare system as part of a broader military attack on the Palestinian territory.
“Israel has perpetrated a concerted policy to destroy Gaza’s healthcare system as part of a broader assault on Gaza,” the UN commission said in a statement.
The report charged that Israel’s actions, which include the killing and torture of medical personnel and attacks on healthcare infrastructure, constitute “the crime against humanity of extermination.”
“Israel must immediately stop its unprecedented wanton destruction of healthcare facilities in Gaza,” said Navi Pillay, the commission’s chair and a former UN human rights chief. She further warned that Israel’s campaign against medical personnel and facilities in Gaza threatens the right to health and could have long-term detrimental effects on the civilian population.
The commission highlighted the tragic case of Hind Rajab, a young girl who was killed alongside six family members and two Palestinian Red Crescent workers after calling for help in Gaza City. The commission held Israel’s 162nd Division responsible, asserting that the deaths were war crimes.
The report also detailed widespread abuse of Palestinian detainees held in Israeli military camps and detention centers. It accused Israeli security forces of subjecting detainees, including children, to physical and psychological violence, sexual abuse, and systematic mistreatment.
The investigators stated that these actions amounted to war crimes and crimes against humanity, including torture and rape.
The report also stated that Palestinian group Hamas subjected Israeli and other hostages to torture and inhuman treatment, calling these acts war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Pillay called for accountability for the abuses on both sides, urging the immediate release of all hostages and accountability for the perpetrators of the crimes.
Israel has dismissed the findings as part of a “systematic anti-Israeli discrimination,” previously rejecting similar accusations made by the commission.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel has launched a relentless bombardment campaign in Gaza killing at least 42,065 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to the territory’s health ministry. The UN has confirmed the reliability of these figures.
The commission was established by the UN Human Rights Council in 2021 to investigate alleged violations of international law. This is its second report since the Hamas attack in October.
