The United Nations human rights office has condemned the possible war crimes committed by both Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups during a deadly raid in Gaza over the weekend. The office’s spokesperson, Jeremy Laurence, expressed concern about the violations of proportionality, distinction, and precaution by Israeli troops during their operation in the Nuseirat urban refugee camp.
Laurence highlighted the increased risk posed to civilians by Palestinian armed groups holding hostages in densely populated areas. He emphasized that these actions may constitute war crimes and that they have had a catastrophic impact on civilians caught in the crossfire. The UN Secretary General, António Guterres, called for an immediate ceasefire to stop the ongoing conflict and for all possible routes for humanitarian aid to reach Gaza.
Guterres urged all parties to respect international humanitarian law and ensure that aid is delivered to Gaza to alleviate the widespread humanitarian crisis affecting over a million people. He emphasized that there is no military solution to this crisis and that a political solution based on sustainable peace between Palestine and Israel living side by side in peace and security is necessary. The Secretary General supported a truce and the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas, calling on all parties to seize this opportunity to end the conflict once and for all.
