This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/23/israel-may-have-committed-war-crimes-in-gaza-un

The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Israel may have committed war crimes during Gaza offensive, UN says Israel may have committed war crimes during Gaza offensive, UN says
(35 minutes later)
The UN has said that Israel may have committed war crimes in its offensive against Hamas in Gaza, in which hundreds of Palestinian civilians have been killed in the past two weeks, and voted with only one abstention to launch an international inquiry. The UN has said that Israel may have committed war crimes in its offensive against Hamas in Gaza, in which hundreds of Palestinian civilians have been killed in two weeks, and voted to launch an international inquiry with only the US in opposition to the move.
"There seems to be a strong possibility that international law has been violated in a manner that could amount to war crimes," Navi Pillay, the UN high commissioner for human rights, said in Geneva."There seems to be a strong possibility that international law has been violated in a manner that could amount to war crimes," Navi Pillay, the UN high commissioner for human rights, said in Geneva.
She made her comments as the US secretary of state, John Kerry, shuttled between Jerusalem and Ramallah for talks with Israeli, Palestinian and UN leaders in search of a deal to end the fighting. "We have certainly made small steps forward," he said between meetings, but added: "There is still work to be done."She made her comments as the US secretary of state, John Kerry, shuttled between Jerusalem and Ramallah for talks with Israeli, Palestinian and UN leaders in search of a deal to end the fighting. "We have certainly made small steps forward," he said between meetings, but added: "There is still work to be done."
Israel continued to pound the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, with hundreds of people trapped in the village of Khuzaar, near Khan Younis, unable to escape the bombardment. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) negotiated a brief pause to allow a convoy of ambulances to evacuate the wounded. Similar lightning evacuations were undertaken in Shujai'iya, the scene of a bloody battle on Sunday, and Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza. Israel continued to pound the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, with hundreds of people trapped in the village of Khuzaar, near Khan Younis, unable to escape the bombardment. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) negotiated a brief pause to allow a convoy of ambulances to evacuate the wounded. Similar lightning evacuations were undertaken in Shujai'iya, scene of a bloody battle on Sunday, and Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza.
Aid agencies said a child had been killed every hour on average in the past two days, and there had been a sharp spike in premature births. Aid agencies said a child had been killed every hour on average in the past two days, and there had been a sharp spike in premature births. Gaza officials said more than 3,000 homes had been destroyed or damaged, and 46 schools, 56 mosques, and seven hospitals had been hit. Israel claims that militants fire rockets from and store weapons in civilian buildings.
Gaza officials said more than 3,000 homes had been destroyed or damaged, and 46 schools, 56 mosques, and seven hospitals had been hit. Israel claims that militants fire rockets from and store weapons in civilian buildings. Some airlines that suspended flights in and out of Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion airport on Tuesday over security concerns extended the measure for a further 24 hours as rocket fire from Gaza continued throughout the day. The US Federal Aviation Authority imposed a flight ban on all US carriers, with other airlines following suit, causing disruption to tourists and business. British Airways and the Israeli national carrier El Al continued to fly to and from Israel.
Some airlines which suspended flights in and out of Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion airport on Tuesday over security concerns extended the measure for an further 24 hours as rocket fire from Gaza continued throughout the day. As the death toll on the 16th day of conflict topped 700 – about 680 Palestinians and 32 Israelis – Pillay told an emergency debate at the UN human rights council (UNHRC) in Geneva that Israel had not done enough to protect civilians, citing air strikes and the shelling of homes and hospitals.
The US Federal Aviation Authority imposed a flight ban on all US carriers, with other airlines following suit, causing major disruption to tourists and business. British Airways and the Israeli national carrier El Al continued to fly to and from Israel. She also condemned Hamas and other militant groups for "indiscriminate attacks" on Israel.
As the death toll on the 16th day of conflict topped 700 – around 680 Palestinians and 32 Israelis – Pillay told an emergency debate at the UN human rights council (UNHRC) in Geneva that Israel had not done enough to protect civilians, citing air strikes and the shelling of homes and hospitals. Pillay's comments were seen as a warning shot to remind Israel of its obligations under international law. She also called for an end to the blockade of Gaza, the underlying reason for the conflict and an issue that would have to be tackled if any ceasefire were to endure.
She also condemned Hamas and other militant groups for their "indiscriminate attacks" on Israel.
Pillay's comments were seen as warning shot to remind Israel of its obligations under international law. She also called for an end to the blockade of Gaza, the underlying reason for the conflict and an issue which will have to be tackled if any ceasefire is to endure.
A resolution debated by the UNHRC called for the urgent despatch of "an independent, international commission of inquiry" to investigate violations of international human rights and humanitarian law. Israel would be highly unlikely to cooperate with any such investigation.A resolution debated by the UNHRC called for the urgent despatch of "an independent, international commission of inquiry" to investigate violations of international human rights and humanitarian law. Israel would be highly unlikely to cooperate with any such investigation.
Its envoy to the council, Eviatar Manor, accused Hamas of committing war crimes and insisted that Israel was acting as any other state would in seeking to defend its citizens. "There can be no moral symmetry between a terrorist aggressor and a democracy defending itself," he said. Hamaswas a terrorist organisation, not the Salvation Army, he said, adding that it was responsible for civilian casualties because it was using people as human shields. Its envoy to the council, Eviatar Manor, accused Hamas of committing war crimes and said Israel was acting as any other state would in seeking to defend its citizens. "There can be no moral symmetry between a terrorist aggressor and a democracy defending itself," he said. Hamaswas a terrorist organisation, not the Salvation Army, he said, adding that it was responsible for civilian casualties because it was using people as human shields.
Riyadh Malki, the Palestinian foreign minister, appealed to the international community for Israel to be held accountable for its actions in Gaza. "How many martyrs must die before Israel puts an end to its aggression?" he asked.Riyadh Malki, the Palestinian foreign minister, appealed to the international community for Israel to be held accountable for its actions in Gaza. "How many martyrs must die before Israel puts an end to its aggression?" he asked.
In Washington, a state department official said Kerry was expected to remain in the Middle East for the next few days, possibly moving around the region. Kerry has indicated privately that he does not want to return to the US without first securing a ceasefire. In Washington, a state department official said Kerry was expected to remain in the Middle East for the next few days, possibly moving around the region. Kerry has indicated privately that he does not want to return to the US without securing a ceasefire.
US officials rejected the suggestion that the secretary of state's high-profile failure to hold together peace negotiations have reduced his leverage in the region, or led to a diplomatic vacuum which allowed the current conflict to escalate. US officials rejected the suggestion that his high-profile failure to hold together peace negotiations have reduced his leverage in the region, or led to a diplomatic vacuum which allowed the current conflict to escalate.
They pointed out that the current conflict has also escalated beyond hostilities in 2012, when Israel stopped short of launching a ground invasion. While Kerry believes Egypt, which controls border crossings into Gaza, will be central to any negotiated ceasefire, he has acknowledged that the country's president, Abdel-Fatah al-Sisi, has nowhere near the leverage with Hamas that helped his predecessor, Mohamed Morsi, convince the Palestinian side to pause the conflict.They pointed out that the current conflict has also escalated beyond hostilities in 2012, when Israel stopped short of launching a ground invasion. While Kerry believes Egypt, which controls border crossings into Gaza, will be central to any negotiated ceasefire, he has acknowledged that the country's president, Abdel-Fatah al-Sisi, has nowhere near the leverage with Hamas that helped his predecessor, Mohamed Morsi, convince the Palestinian side to pause the conflict.