Fri Nov 08 13:13:28 UTC 2024: ## UN Condemns Israel’s “Indifference” to Civilian Deaths in Gaza
The United Nations has condemned Israel’s “apparent indifference” to the killing of civilians in Gaza, citing a new report by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). The report, which verified 8,119 of the over 34,500 reported deaths in the first six months of the conflict, found that nearly 70% of the victims were women and children.
The youngest victim was a one-day-old boy, and the oldest was a 97-year-old woman. The report found that 44% of the victims were children, with the largest group being those aged five to nine.
UN Human Rights chief Volker Turk slammed Israel’s “wanton disregard” for the rules of war, calling for the country to comply with its international obligations. The report warned that “widespread or systematic” attacks on civilians could amount to “crimes against humanity” and, if committed with the intent to destroy a group, may even constitute genocide.
The report highlighted the Israeli military’s use of weapons impacting wide areas in densely populated zones, noting that five or more people were killed in the same attack in 88% of cases. It also criticized the Israeli government for its “continuing unlawful failures” to allow humanitarian aid and the destruction of civilian infrastructure.
Israel has not commented on the report’s findings. However, the Gaza Ministry of Health has reported at least 43,469 Palestinian deaths and 102,561 injuries since the conflict began on October 7, 2023.
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