Crimes against humanity are typically considered the most serious violations of international law.

In a report released on Wednesday by the UN Commission of Inquiry that covers the period from October 7 to the end of 2023, the commission found that Israel has committed a large range of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

The crimes against humanity that investigators found Israel has committed include the crime of extermination, which is the intentional mass killing of an entire group of people, “including by inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about the destruction of part of a population.”

The report also lists gender persecution as a crime against humanity, with Israel Defense Forces creating a “culture that allowed – and may have even encouraged – [soldiers] to humiliate and degrade Palestinians on the basis of gender.”

In terms of war crimes and international law violations, the commission concludes that Israel has directly targeted civilians and civilian objects and meted out collective punishment against Palestinians; has been using starvation as a weapon of war; has forcibly displaced at least 1.7 million people in Gaza; has systematically committed sexual violence against Palestinians; and has seen its senior officials inciting numerous calls to extinguish Palestinian civilians and life in Gaza.

“[B]oth the 7 October attack in Israel and Israel’s subsequent military operation in Gaza should not be seen in isolation. The only way to stop the recurring cycles of violence, including aggression and retribution by both sides, is to ensure strict adherence to international law,” the report read. “That includes ending the unlawful Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory, discrimination, oppression and the denial of the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people and guaranteeing peace and security for Jews and Palestinians.”

  • snooggums@midwest.socialEnglish
    376·
    15 days ago

    In a report released on Wednesday by the UN Commission of Inquiry that covers the period from October 7 to the end of 2023…

    This doesn’t even cover what they have done so far in 2024, which is escalating all of those things.

  • Keeponstalin@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
    324·
    15 days ago

    Further, the report found that Israeli forces had, themselves, added to the civilian death toll of October 7, killing at least 14 Israelis as part of the so-called Hannibal Directive that instructs Israeli soldiers to undertake any actions necessary to avoid capture by enemy forces, up to and potentially including the killing of fellow Israeli soldiers.

    In this case, Israeli forces killed 13 Israeli civilian hostages who were being held in a house in southern Israel via tank fire on October 7, the report found, while an Israeli helicopter killed one Israeli civilian while she was being abducted.

    14 Israeli Civilians confirmed dead from friendly fire

    • Patapon Enjoyer@lemmy.worldEnglish
      162·
      15 days ago

      Hannibal Directive

      Is there a rule that says if you’re doing evil shit, you have to pick the most evil sounding names you can think of?

      Why is that the only rule Israel seems to follow

  • LibertyLizard@slrpnk.netEnglish
    315·
    15 days ago

    This is an important finding, coming from a relatively unbiased and credible body. Israel has already been muddying the water by spinning a narrative that the UN has some secret antisemitic agenda, and I expect they will double down in response to this.

    This report needs to be backed up by individual nations if its findings are to be accepted. Global citizens must pressure our governments to acknowledge and act on these findings. If we do not, many of them will find ways to downplay or obfuscate them, and the situation will not improve.

  • jordanlund@lemmy.worldMEnglish
    203·
    15 days ago

    Country which has routinely engaged in war crimes for 30 years continues to engage in war crimes…