UN report: Israel committed war crimes, crimes against humanity in Palestine

Israel has committed war crimes and crimes against humanity in the occupied Palestinian territory, a United Nations (UN) commission of inquiry has found.

Israel has committed war crimes and the crimes against humanity of extermination, persecution, torture, rape and other forms of sexual violence in the occupied Palestinian territory, intentionally targeting Palestinian civilians as it continues to commit genocide in Gaza, according to a report from the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel.

The report submitted to the UN General Assembly finds that the situation in the West Bank has deteriorated gravely since October 7, 2023. The report concludes that Palestinians in the West Bank are being targeted on the basis of their nationality, race and ethnicity, gender and age.

In Gaza, Israeli authorities and forces continue to commit genocidal acts even after the so-called ceasefire agreement, with the intent to destroy the Palestinian people, in whole or in part, according to the report.

As part of a broader investigation into the root causes of recurrent tensions and protraction of conflict, the report concludes that Israel has striven to expand territorially and displace Palestinians through violence since the 1947-48 war.

The commission of inquiry makes several recommendations to the concerned states and the international community.

Israel should comply with the advisory opinion of July 2024 of the International Court of Justice and immediately end the unlawful occupation of Palestinian territory and remove all settlers and settlements. Essentially, Israel should end and reverse the confiscation and appropriation of Palestinian property and reservation of Palestinian land for military purposes and return all confiscated land to its Palestinian owners, said the commission.