An independent United Nations commission has declared that Israeli attacks on schools, as well as religious and cultural sites in Gaza, constitute war crimes and reflect an attempt to “obliterate” Palestinian life.
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“Israel has effectively dismantled Gaza’s educational system and destroyed over half of the religious and cultural sites within the Gaza Strip,” stated the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory in its recent report.
In response, Israel dismissed the commission’s findings, led by South African judge Navi Pillay, as an “inherently biased and politicized mechanism of the Human Rights Council.” They further claimed that the report is “another attempt to promote its fictitious narrative of the Gaza war.”
Despite these denials, the three-member commission accused Israeli forces of committing “war crimes, including directing attacks against civilians and willfully killing in assaults on educational facilities.”
It was emphasized that while the destruction of cultural property and educational facilities may not necessarily constitute genocide, evidence of such actions could indicate a genocidal intent toward a protected group. Judge Pillay remarked, “We are observing increasing signs that Israel is engaged in a coordinated campaign to obliterate Palestinian life in Gaza.”
The commission revealed that Israeli attacks have targeted religious sites that served as sanctuaries, resulting in the deaths of hundreds, including women and children.
Amid these events, Palestinians mourn the loss of their loved ones who perished in Israeli assaults near U.S. humanitarian aid distribution points.
The commission was established by the UN to investigate violations of humanitarian and human rights laws within the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories. In May, UN humanitarian relief chief Tom Fletcher urged Security Council members to act “to prevent genocide” in Gaza, although Israel has consistently refuted claims of such actions.
Moreover, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs has called on Israel to lift its blockade on Gaza, where over two million residents are at risk of famine, according to UN assessments. The report not only concentrated on Gaza but also addressed Israeli attacks on civilians throughout the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, and even within Israel.
The commission found that Israel had “done little” to either prevent or prosecute settlers in the occupied West Bank who intentionally targeted educational institutions and students, aiming to instill fear within Palestinian communities and drive them from their homes. Additionally, it reported instances wherein both Israeli and Palestinian educators and students, who expressed solidarity with civilian populations in Gaza, were intimidated and, in some cases, detained.
The panel has urged the Israeli government to cease all attacks on cultural, religious, and educational institutions, calling for an immediate end to the unlawful occupation of Palestinian territory. In defense, Israel has argued that Hamas uses hospitals, schools, and former UN offices as shields for their operations.
Israel’s UN mission in Geneva stated, “The commission is overlooking Hamas’s extensive integration of military operations and weaponry within civilian infrastructure and among Gaza’s population for terror purposes. Hamas leadership has openly admitted to using the inhabitants of Gaza as human shields.”
In contrast, the UN commission insisted that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government should fully adhere to provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice to “prevent” any incitement to genocide and to facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza. Moreover, it called on Hamas to “cease using civilian objects for military purposes.” The commission is set to present its findings to the UN Commission on Human Rights on June 17.
In a separate incident, the Gaza civil defense agency reported that 15 individuals were killed when Israeli forces opened fire on people attempting to enter a food distribution center. Israel’s military has acknowledged discharging “warning shots.” This marks the latest of a series of incidents following the first opening of aid distribution points by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) on May 27, amid mounting international protests over the humanitarian situation.
Gaza civil defense agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal indicated that 12 fatalities occurred when Israeli quadcopters targeted individuals waiting to access a GHF distribution center in central Gaza early Tuesday morning. He further reported that, between 2:30 AM and 5 AM, three additional people were killed by Israeli fire and shelling north of Wadi Gaza while awaiting entry to the same center.
“Several thousand civilians and individuals in need of food gathered, hoping to access the American aid center near the Wadi Gaza bridge and the Netzarim corridor,” Bassal stated. The Netzarim corridor is a militarized area that divides Gaza from the Israeli border to the Mediterranean Sea, isolating the northern region from the rest of the territory.
The Israeli military confirmed firing “warning shots” during the incident near the food center but denied that the number of casualties matched their records. They explained in a statement that “troops fired warning shots to deter individuals approaching the area of Wadi Gaza, who were deemed a threat to the troops.” However, the military did not address the reports of quadcopters targeting crowds.
Al-Awda hospital, located in central Gaza’s Nuseirat camp, reported receiving three deceased individuals and 100 wounded from the incident at Wadi Gaza bridge. Due to ongoing media restrictions and challenges in accessing information within Gaza, AFP has been unable to independently verify the death tolls provided by the civil defense agency.
Edited By Ali Musa
Axadle Times International – Monitoring
