War in the Middle East: UN calls for investigation into war crimes in Gaza

Two independent UN experts have called for an investigation into possible war crimes and possible crimes against humanity in connection with the Gaza war.

“Independent investigators must be given the necessary resources, support and access to conduct rapid, thorough and impartial investigations into crimes alleged to have been committed by all parties to the conflict,” said Geneva.

The expert did not give any examples themselves. In recent weeks, human rights activists have cited several points that could constitute crimes: the abduction of more than 200 people in the terrorist attack on Israel on October 7th in the Gaza Strip and militants in the Gaza Strip using civilians as human shields and the Israeli closure of the Gaza Strip as collective punishment and the destruction of civilian infrastructure in Israeli bombings with thousands of deaths.

The experts recalled that courts in any country can investigate and try those responsible for such crimes. They welcomed the work of the International Criminal Court and the UN Commission of Inquiry on Israel and the Occupied Territories, which collected evidence in the Gaza Strip, Israel and the occupied West Bank.

Morris Tidball-Binz is the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary and arbitrary executions. Alice Jill Edwards is the UN Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment or punishment. Such rapporteurs are appointed by the UN Human Rights Council based on their expertise. They report regularly on their topic; decisions can only be made by the Human Rights Council from 47 countries, which are each elected to the council for three years.