A UN investigation concluded on Wednesday that Israel has committed crimes against humanity during its war on Gaza, including that of “extermination”, while saying Israeli and Palestinian armed groups have both committed war crimes.
The independent Commission of Inquiry’s report is the United Nations’ first in-depth investigation into the events of the war that began in October.
It found that Israel had committed war crimes, crimes against humanity, and violations of international humanitarian law (IHL) and international human rights law (IHRL).
The report noted “a widespread or systematic attack directed against the civilian population in Gaza.”
“The commission found that the crimes against humanity of extermination; murder; gender persecution targeting Palestinian men and boys; forcible transfer; and torture and inhuman and cruel treatment were committed,” it added.
Israel rejected the conclusions by accusing the UN commission of “systematic anti-Israeli discrimination”.
The commission found that in that in a 7 October attack, members of the military wings of Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups and Palestinian civilians committed war crimes, as well as violations and abuses of IHL and IHRL.
