The international community has expressed its outrage and concern over the escalating violence and humanitarian crisis in Israel and Gaza, where war crimes have been committed by both sides.
The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem and Israel, said on Friday that there is already clear evidence that war crimes may have been committed in the latest explosion of violence that began on 7 October 2023.
The Commission said that it has been collecting and preserving evidence of war crimes committed by all sides, including the targeting of civilians, the taking of hostages, the use of human shields, and the collective punishment of Gaza by Israel.
The Commission urged Israeli security forces and Palestinian armed groups to adhere strictly to international humanitarian law and international human rights law, and to ensure the protection of civilians. It also called for the unconditional and safe release of all individuals who have been taken hostage by Palestinian armed groups.
The siege has been widely condemned as a form of collective punishment and a violation of international law by various countries and organizations. Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian accused Israel of committing “genocide” in Gaza, and said that Iran would support any resistance movement against Israel’s aggression.