UN examination: Israel charged with annihilation of gaza health

UN examination: Israel charged with annihilation of gaza health

An investigation by the United Nations has accused Israel of pursuing a “concerted policy” for destruction of health in the Gaza Strip during the one -year conflict with Hamas. The reports speak of a violation of war law and consider the Israeli attacks as war crimes.

war crimes in the Gaza Strip

The actions of Israel in the besieged Palestinian area "represent the war crimes of the intentional killing, abuse and crime against humanity of destruction," said the Commission in a statement. According to the report of the UN independent International Investigation Commission for the occupied Palestinian area, including East Jerusalem and Israel, the Israeli security forces have specifically killed, arrested and tortured medical staff, and have targeted medical vehicles.

consequences for health care

The Israeli attacks meant that "fuel, food, water, medication and medical deliveries did not reach hospitals", while the permits for patients to leave the area for medical treatments were drastically reduced, according to the report.

reactions of the Israeli government

The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected the allegations as "scandalous" and described it as "another obvious attempt by the Commission to delegitimize the existence of the state of Israel and to hinder its right to protect its population while the crimes of terrorist organizations covered up". The report incorrectly represents Israel as a threat to the healthcare system in Gaza and at the same time ignores the overwhelming evidence that medical facilities in Gaza are systematically used by Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad for terrorist activities.

allegations against Hamas

According to the report, Hamas should use medical facilities to hide military personnel, store weapons, carry out attacks and hide hostages. However, Hamas repeatedly denied that they use hospitals for military activities.

abuse of hostages

The UN report also accuses Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups of committing war crimes such as "torture, inhumane or cruel treatment, rape and sexual violence" on Israeli hostages. In addition, the "institutionalized abuse" of Palestinian prisoners was examined in Israeli prisons.

Israel's commitment to international standards

The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected the allegations of a widespread abuse and torture of prisoners and said that Israel would follow "completely the international legal standards". In a statement that was attached to the 24-page report, which has no legal consequences, the former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, said that Israel had to stop "immediately with the unprecedented destruction" in Gaza. "Children in particular suffered from these attacks and are affected by the collapse of the health system both directly and indirectly," she added.

a tragic incident

In the context of the report, the UN expert examined the death of the 5-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab that made headlines at the end of January, in which she was responsible for help and your family when she was afraid when she was a shelling due were caught in their car. Although an ambulance arrived at the scene of the accident while the girl was still alive, the presence of the Israeli security forces effectively "prevented" access, which meant that the corpse of Rajab's relatives "could only be recovered from her car praised with balls," explains the report.

responsibility of the Israeli army

The report found "with reasonable reasons that the 162nd division of the Israeli army", which operated in the region at the time, "is responsible for killing the family of seven, the fire and killing of the two paramedics inside." This incident is only one of several alleged attacks on health care in the Gaza Strip in the context of the general conditions of the war.

transmission to the UN General Assembly

The report will be presented on October 30th of the UN General Assembly. The Commission had previously stated that both Israel and Hamas committed war crimes in the early phases of the Gaza War and that the actions of Israel are also considered a crime against humanity.