Agencies-Gaza post
UN Human Rights Office: Accountability is key to preventing recurrence in Gaza
Reacting to the large death and wound toll, mainly among kids, and the heavy demolition caused by three days of Israeli airstrikes on the besieged Gaza Strip that began on Friday, the United Nations Human Rights Office in the occupied Palestinian territory stated it deplores the civilian losses and damage to civilian objects, asserting that accountability is key to preventing duplication of the aggression.
The Human Rights Office said in a press statement it confirmed that among the 46 Palestinians killed in the latest attack in the Gaza Strip, at least 20 were civilians, including 16 kids and four women, and that of the 360 Palestinians reported wounded, nearly two-thirds are civilians, including 151 kids, 58 women, and 19 older individuals. In a number of accidents, kids were the majority of casualties, it said.
“These casualty numbers and significant damage to civilian objects and facilities informed by humanitarian partners present a grave concern with regard to care for the international humanitarian law principles of distinction, proportionality, and precautions”.
A number of Israeli missiles hit prima facie civilian objects, causing civilian casualties and damage to civilian entities.
“International humanitarian law forbids attacks which may incidentally kill or injure civilians, or damage civilian objects, in an extreme manner to the concrete and direct military advantage anticipated,” reported the Human Rights Office.
It called for “prompt, independent, impartial, thorough and transparent investigations to be conducted into all cases where civilians were killed or injured,” emphasizing, “An almost total lack of accountability persists for violations of international humanitarian law by all parties in previous escalations, and for recurring and ongoing Israeli violations of the law of occupation across the occupied Palestinian territory. This is one of the drivers of repeated escalations in hostilities and encourages the recurrence of violations.”
The Human Rights Office added, “Despite easing of the Israeli restrictions on the entry of critical goods, fuel, humanitarian personnel and exit of patients, the new emergency needs resulting from this most recent escalation come on top of the extremely high humanitarian needs of Gaza’s population resulting from the 15 years of blockade and closures, as well as the devastating escalation just over one year ago. The United Nations Human Rights Office calls on Israel to address ongoing drivers of violations, including the blockade which the UN Human Rights Committee has affirmed constitutes collective punishment of the entire civilian population of Gaza.”
