Olusegun Ariyo
A United Nations commission of inquiry has accused Israel of war crimes in relation to attacks on healthcare facilities in Gaza during its ongoing conflict with Hamas.
According to the report, led by former UN human rights chief Navi Pillay, Israel’s military actions against hospitals and medical personnel in Gaza amount to war crimes and the crime against humanity of “extermination.”
The commission alleges that Israeli forces have targeted medical workers, with claims of deliberate killings, detentions, and torture. The destruction of Gaza’s healthcare system is said to have severely impacted children, who have been disproportionately affected by the collapse in medical services.
One tragic example cited in the report is the case of five-year-old Hind Rajab, who was killed alongside her family after their car and a subsequent ambulance were hit during an attempt to flee bombings.
The UN also accuses Palestinian armed groups, including Hamas, of war crimes for their treatment of Israeli hostages, with allegations of physical violence, abuse, and deprivation of basic necessities.
Israel has not yet responded to the report but has previously accused the UN of bias in similar investigations.
The commission’s findings, which will be presented to the UN General Assembly on 30 October, add to growing international legal scrutiny of the war, with cases pending at the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court.
Since the war’s escalation on 7 October 2023, over 42,060 people have been reported dead in Gaza, according to the territory’s health ministry.
